A tranquil summit of European Union Foreign ministers was stirred up by an interview with the European expansion commissioner, Gunther Verheugen, published by a German daily, over the need for a referendum in Germany on expanding the continental block.
The ensuing torrent of statements and reactions was overwhelming to say the least. Rebuttals, assurances to candidate countries, all quickly “buried” Verheugen’s proposal.
He said himself he was misquoted; what he meant was to find out how necessary were referendums in Germany on things that matter for the country.
As a matter of fact, yesterday the social-democrats said they wanted to amend the Constitution specifically to allow referendums, banned by present legislation.
The European commissioner’s interview gave rise to emotion and consternation among European officials, who scrambled to play down its impact.
European Commission President Romano Prodi said he was determined to make certain that the first countries would join the Union before the current Commission’s mandate expires in late 2004.
But everything does seem to be a test balloon, launched by the European official to test potential reaction to such a proposal. Indeed, what else could it be, with the expansion process in full swing, under the (strict) rules set forth by the European Union.
It was very interesting that everything began in Germany, which, along with France, is credited as the engine of European expansion eastward, and the country which, today, is the number one economic power on the continent.
Despite all this, Germans are not overly enthusiastic about expansion, as many of them fear competition from cheap labour, which is amply available in the East.
Given the situation, it is fairly conclusive that Verheugen could not have been seriously thinking about a referendum, with opinion polls showing that two-thirds of the Germans are not particularly thrilled about the single European currency.
But the interview contained a grain of truth: Western governments are almost constantly talking about the need to rush expansion, whereas the lay European is rather unconvinced by the prospect.
In fact, the latest Eurobarometer poll suggested that only a small percentage of the Europeans see expansion as a necessity.
Plus, the West is forced to temper the drive of candidate countries, who are eager to join the EU as fast as possible and are pressing to make it happen.
Given the circumstances, Verheugen’s test balloon might contain another significant message: that expansion might slow down a bit in the following period, to allow “more ample public debate on the subject,” as a German official put it.
Caught in the wave of the accession frenzy, Western leaders must have run into discontented citizens, who are keen to protect their rights and privileges from a potential “Eastern invasion.”
Verheugen himself said political parties and the entire society should commit more to “the process of information and dialogue” regarding the expansion.
In other words, Western politicians are apparently realising that subjects of scale such as the EU expansion do not only deserve but demand a more serious public debate, lest the average people, who are the most affected by decisions from the centre, might feel the worst repercussions.