At a time when the European Union’s days seem numbered, and its euro currency may not be around by the end of the year, one must be either extremely foolish or very desperate to want to join the club.
Croatians have voted to join the EU. Although that’s a bit of an exaggeration. In fact, the majority of Croatians have voted against joining or voted against it by abstaining from the vote.
Croatia’s state referendum commission said that with nearly all ballots counted, about 66% of those who took part in the referendum answered “yes” to the question: “Do you support the membership of the Republic of Croatia in the European Union?” About 33% were against, while the rest of the ballots were invalid. About 47% of eligible voters took part in the referendum, illustrating voters’ apathy toward the EU.
That’s not a democratic result. Only 47% of voters took part, and of those only 66% said yes to the EU. If Croatia were to actually join the EU, it would be yet another example of how the EU plays fast and loose with the principles of democracy. EU membership would be forced down the throats of a majority of Croatians who clearly don’t want to be associated with the corrupt and democratically deficient EU. (One should also keep in mind that around 85% of voters in existing EU member states would instantly vote against continued membership if such a vote were held now.)
One Croatian sums up the truth behind this “vote”:
“The turnout shows that Croatia has turned its back on the EU,” said war veteran Zeljko Sacic, who led a campaign against membership. “This referendum is illegitimate. We will never recognize it.”
Illegitimate, indeed.