Independant Scotland Will Be Excluded From Eu Shock

[jomifl]

Manuel Barroso stated a few mins. ago that if Scotland became independant it would not be allowed into the EU because of the internal political implications for some member nations. Has wee 'eck miscalculated ....again?

[jeffa]

That's the example that he cites in his interview, though.

[jomifl]

/to suggest that Spain might do so because it wouldn't recognise Scotland as a sovereign state really does seem preposterous. /
A bit to much preposterosity and not enough reason. Nobody apart from you has suggested that Spain might not recognise Scotland, but since you have mentioned it, it is a possiblity and would be in line with Spanish thinking.

[Ellipsis]

> That's the example that he cites in his interview, though.

He did not cite Kosovo as being exactly analogous. He cited it as being similar, which it is ... a nation, which was part of another EU nation, which is now independent and applying for membership.

If Spain is blocking Kosovo because it does not recognise it as a nation, that does not mean it's the only reason they're blocking it. It's simply the reason given and, maybe, the most expedient reason for Spain. You cannot take the fact that Spain is blocking Kosovo on those stated grounds to mean that Spain (or some other member state) won't have a problem on other grounds with Scotland joining.

That's why I suggested ignoring Kosovo and the "independent state" issue and concentrating on why Barroso would make the comments he did about Scotland.

[jomifl]

Ellipsis, although kosovo is a bit of a side issue, it does give some insight into how Spain goes in for Machiavellian thinking.

[Ellipsis]

I agree, hence the word "expedient".

However, the problem with using it as an example is that it gives the SNP the ability to say that Scotland is nothing like Kosovo, and divert attention from the real issue.

The real issue is why Barroso would make his comments, and why Swinney would dismiss them as "preposterous".

[albaqwerty]

imo, if the SNP don't like something, then they class it either as scare-mongering or preposterous.

just out of curiosity, isn't the UK part of the EU and IF Scotland becomes independant, would that also have repercussions for England Wales and NI?

[LazyGun]

The reason Spain is blocking the Kosovo application is primarily because Spain is facing its own Independence/Secession movement and is not keen to create a precedent.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-25353086

[Ellipsis]

alba, I believe it's been established that if Scotland leaves the UK then "what's left" is still the UK - part of the reason that this is a Scottish vote rather than a UK-wide vote. I am not sure what would happen if, over the forthcoming years, Wales/NI/etc. were also to leave.

LazyGun, exactly. Spain is very likely to find a reason to vote against any part of any nation becoming independent and then coming back into the EU.

[jeffa]

Here's an interesting twist:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-scotland-politics-20757450

[janbee]

Fat Eck doesn't know HOW to calculate sensibly. He's a dangerous extremist and wants to take my country back hundreds of years and leave us there to become a third world country. He certainly knows all about bullies. He sees one every day in the mirror. Maybe he can bring back the groat and the bawbee as our currency. He's a stupid dangerous despot and leader of an ignorant bigoted party and he's leading a brainwashed people into the past. He bangs on and on ad nauseum about "Scotland's Future" What a bawheid. If independent, Sotland won't have a future and shame on any of my fellow countrymen backward enough to vote YES in Sept. This isn't something than can be voted out after 5 years because we don't like it or it's not like we thought it would be... this is FOREVER, ALWAYS,ETERNITY... no backies.
Fat Eck is letting his hatred, ignorance,hubris and bigotry cloud any little bit of sense he may once have possessed.

[douglas9401]

"this is FOREVER, ALWAYS,ETERNITY... no backies."

That's patently NOT the case, janbee. Scotland's been independent, part of a union and will now vote on being independent again.

[jeffa]

This is interesting too:
http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2014/feb/17/barroso-scotland-ludicrous-remarks?CMP=twt_gu

[EDDIE51]

Scotland is part of the EU only as a member of the United Kingdom if it leaves the United Kingdom it has also left the EU. Once it has left it can apply to become a would member again but the process of application takes several years. It would have to start from scratch and prove it was qualified to become a member, it can't just assume it will be back in instantly that would not be fair. Turkey is the next nation in line for membership it has been preparing for over 10 years.