Europe is cracking
European separatism: The Old
World is bursting at the seams
Very hard to imagine a large apartment building,
which would be all they lived in harmony. There
are always reasons for recriminations and disagreements that keep
residents trust each other and are pushing for new disputes and claims.
Sometimes
even within the same family may have a situation. And it only gets worse, if the age-old
resentments suddenly imposed problems that are somehow connected with
the lack of money and the subsequent financial difficulties. Similarly,
today's Europe stirs economic separatism - a phenomenon that undermines
the integrity of the Old World.
Many countries in the European Union, made up of regions
that differ from the rest of the state in language, culture and level of
economic development. And
for many centuries these territories showed separatist tendencies. Among such "hot spots" of
Europe in the UK highlighted Scotland, Catalonia and the Basque country
in Spain, Flanders in Belgium, and northern Italy. Separatist sentiment is still there in these
regions, even in the first half of the 2000s., When the economy of
Western Europe grew rapidly. Today,
when Europe was swept over the financial crisis, the separatists of the
Old World are using the circumstances to achieve the long-desired goal,
that is, to form a new map of the state.
Oil path to
independence for Scotland
There is no doubt that on 15 October 2012. has become one of the most important dates in the
recent history of the UK. That
same day, the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom David Cameron and
Scotland's First Minister Alex Salmond signed on in 2014. a referendum on
Scottish independence. Thus, the Scottish nationalists
embarked on her original dream "separatist dreams." "Do I believe
that we will achieve independence? Yeah, I do. I think we'll get it,
presenting a positive view of the future of our country - both
economically and socially," - said Salmond after the signing of the
fateful contract.
In an
attempt to persuade the Scots to vote in a referendum for independence
nationalists to focus on the fact that, coming from the UK, Scotland can
independently dispose of the natural resources that today she has to
share with the center. It first comes to oil and gas in the North Sea,
which just extract the Scottish shelf. Economic independence from the British
nationalists are hoping to support and by high-tech enterprises, located
in the local "Silicon Valley." Still, the current
situation in the UK in general and Scotland in particular, suggests that
the words Salmond of faith in the independence of the northern-most
part of Britain - more political self-confidence.
The main argument in favor of retaining the familiar
device of Great Britain - the desire to remain part of the Scots
themselves the United Kingdom. The
very next day after the signing of the agreement of October survey
conducted by a British newspaper, showed that 58% of Scots are against
the independence of their country, while supporting 30% yield. And the
number of opponents out of Scotland from the United Kingdom since the
early years is increasing.
The second major obstacle
to implementation of the plan nationalists looms just an economic issue.
Although Salmond and hopes for a
significant increase in the welfare of Scots at the outlet of the UK by
the resources of the North Sea, to believe in it with difficulty. Yes,
from 80% to 90% of the funding that the center receives due hydrocarbons
will remain in the budget of Scotland. However, as a senior fellow at the Center for
British Studies, Institute of Europe RAS Elena Anan, North Sea oil
reserves will last only 40 years, and Britain without Scotland will be
one on one with the vibrations of the oil market.
In the case of
separation from the United Kingdom Edinburgh will have to take and pay a
substantial part of the UK national debt (about 80 billion British
pounds). Scotland also may
have to do the privatization of troubled banks, which the British
government nationalized after the crisis of 2008., Given that their
share prices today fell by about half. In addition, potential oil
revenues with no money in London are unlikely to cover the social costs
the Scottish government, which on average 6% higher than in the rest of
Britain.
Finally, out
of Scotland from the UK raise the question of the European future of
Edinburgh. Professor of the Graduate School of
Economics Ivan Krivushin notes that the idea of nationalists simple
and attractive - Scotland should get rid of it unfavorable financial
relations with London, but continue to enjoy the benefits of
participation in the EU, primarily economic. At the same time, part of
Scotland in the European Union as an independent state can turn to her
obligations more burdensome than it has now. In addition, according to
E.Ananevoy, Edinburgh is unlikely to hold and a high credit rating of
the country, that is, to borrow it in the international market will
become more expensive. Thus, the Scottish leadership is still very carefully
consider whether to change the arrogant older sister to Britain to be
ill and clumsy aunt Europe.
Rich and disgruntled Catalans and Basques
The
situation in Spain is somewhat different from the UK. In southern European
state separatists most actively manifest themselves in two of the most
affluent regions - Catalonia, in the north-east of the country and the
Basque Country in the north. The two territories for decades provided the economic
prosperity of Spain, but the economic crisis with a new force raised the
question of their future.
The
main frustration Catalans, of which at least 500 thousand in September
took to the streets of Barcelona with the requirements for greater
autonomy from Madrid, is in the wrong, in their view, the distribution
of finances. They believe that
the central government in Madrid, taking tax revenue from Catalonia, not
return them to the regional treasury in the proper amount. In Catalonia,
say that every year, the local government pays taxes by 16 billion euros
more than it spends. Catalans are tired sponsor the rest of the
country, while the state of the local infrastructure is poor. And this despite the fact that the
level of GDP per capita (30 thousand euros) Catalonia is in line with
the rich countries like Britain or Austria. Economic
hardship imposed on the centuries-old historical and linguistic dispute
between the Catalans and the rest of Spain. People
in the region, in particular, speak their particular language that has
for generations oppressed by the Spanish authorities.
November 25 in
Catalonia were extraordinary regional elections in which the party
advocating separation of Catalonia from Spain, won nearly two-thirds of
the seats in the local parliament. Long
before the head of the Catalan Government Artur Mas promised that if
they win they will hold a referendum on independence. Given the seriousness of the
nationalists, as well as more than 50% of its support from the output
of Catalonia Spain local people should think, under any flag in the near
future will be the football club "Barcelona" and whether to continue
the Spaniards call their artist Salvador Dali.
No less acute
separatist sentiment prevails in the Basque Country - the richest, along
with Madrid, the Spanish region. The share
of exports of the most productive and industrialized area in the
structure obscheispanskogo rate, despite the small population (only 4.5%
of the population), is as much as 10%. In
2010. Basque GDP higher than the
average level of GDP in the regions of Spain at 34%. As in Catalonia, the Basque
discontent unfair participation in the financing of the backward parts
of the country is superimposed on irreconcilable differences with Spain
in the language, history, and even genetics (for example, over 50% of
the Basques have a negative Rh factor, which significantly exceeds the
average figure for Europe at 16% ). It is
likely that after the triumph of Basque Nationalist Party in the October
elections to the local parliament and the possible deterioration of the
plight of the Spanish economy the issue of independence of the Basque
Country will rise with new vigor.
North did not want to be a cash cow
for the south
Chronic wound separatism and economic crisis has revealed in
Belgium - a country divided into two parts: the south - Wallonia, with a
predominantly French-speaking population, and the north - Flanders,
where most people live niderlandogovoryaschie. Against the background of the
critical state of the European finance more economically developed
Flanders express increasing dissatisfaction due to the current mechanism
of tax payments to the state budget. On average, the northern part of Belgium each year
transfer to the state coffers by 16 billion euros more than the South. Integrity
is at risk for another reason that more than half of the 11 million
inhabitants live in Belgium is in Flanders.
At the meeting in Belgium in October local
elections victory to the delight of the supporters of the status quo
changes won Flemish nationalists who support the maximum independence of
Flanders. Their leader, Bart De
Wever, who after winning his party's mayor industrial center of Belgium -
Antwerp, repeatedly noted the injustice of the existing system of
finance in favor of redistribution of Wallonia. "Flemings tired that they are accepted for the cows, necessary
only because of the milk they give," - said shortly before the election,
de Wever. After the success in the
elections, the leader of the "New Flemish Alliance" called on the Prime
Minister Elio Di Rupo to revise the constitution to extend the autonomy
of both parts of Belgium, with particular emphasis on financial
independence from the central government of Flanders.
Italy, like Belgium, the cost is divided by the rich North
and the poor South. And since the financial crisis has hit
the country's economy, politics, northern Italy once again talking about
the need to change, in their opinion, an unfair tax system of the
state. The
continuing desire to form a rich Italian north own state called Padania
regularly keeps in suspense central authorities.
Separately,
in Italy mature and other separatist movements that grows muscles
because of economic problems. Among them is the largest political party in
the region - Venetian League, which requires political and financial
autonomy and recognition Venetic official language in the region. Recent efforts have also another part of the north of
Italy - South Tyrol, who, on the crisis hit Italy suffered the least
important. Separatists
in the region with a predominance of the German population are
campaigning for a referendum on secession from Italy and join the more
prosperous Austria.
Is it
worth it
Difficult
situation in the world, especially Europe, the financial markets for a
long time makes economic separatism, a feature of the modern world. According I.Krivushina, separatism in Europe today - a very
attractive product, and nationalists, his offering, keeping pace with
the times. Indeed, it is not surprising that the more affluent area
want to own their own means.
In this case, following the advice of
former Irish Prime Minister John Bruton, Scotland, Flanders and
Catalonia would be wise if they first solved the problem of the economic
crisis, and only then went back to the office or on boundary changes. Similar view E.Ananeva
which warns that separatism for small areas is fraught with them
slipping to a "non-viable states," since the crisis even resource-rich
countries in trouble.
Any success at least one of
the "troubled" regions in independence could lead to a chain of events
that once and for all change the political map of the world. After becoming a free state, Catalonia, Scotland and Flanders
will inevitably be faced with changing relations with the rest of
Europe. And
the situation is likely to arise in such a way that, by becoming
independent from Spain, the UK and Belgium, these regions will fall in
relation to other political entities, and they will have to make more
concessions and more limited than it is today.
