Thursday, December 20, 2007
Last 'Post' on many borders tonight
Back in 1945 my mother swam the Elbe to escape the oncoming Soviet army and find refuge in British held territory. Europe was a place of fear.
At midnight today (20 December 2007) the Schengen agreement that allows for free passage –without need of passports- across national frontiers within most of the European Union is extended to include her native Lithuania (and eight other countries including Latvia and Estonia). What an extraordinary contrast in 60-odd years.
This is going to be a bit of a challenge for our new LibDem leadership team as of course there are public fears associated with this move, with which we have to deal. And as far as I can see, our own party policy is hardly in line with embracing Schengen for the UK. We remain outside.
But I am still slightly breathless at the extraordinary changes engineered within the developing European Union, a place of hope.
At midnight today (20 December 2007) the Schengen agreement that allows for free passage –without need of passports- across national frontiers within most of the European Union is extended to include her native Lithuania (and eight other countries including Latvia and Estonia). What an extraordinary contrast in 60-odd years.
This is going to be a bit of a challenge for our new LibDem leadership team as of course there are public fears associated with this move, with which we have to deal. And as far as I can see, our own party policy is hardly in line with embracing Schengen for the UK. We remain outside.
But I am still slightly breathless at the extraordinary changes engineered within the developing European Union, a place of hope.
Labels: EU powers, European Union, migration, Schengen
Comments:
Post a Comment
