Poland in the EU

Libertas in Ireland wants to abolish the free movement of workers in the EU and send Poles, Latvians and others home after 2 years on the island.

Two Libertas candidates Caroline Simons and Raymond O'Malley have spoken about it in the last days. They claim immigration is the "elephant in the room", the big subject nobody is talking about. Unemployment on the island is rising dramatically. The European Commission forecasts a jump from 4,6 % in 2007 to 16 % in 2010.

In the last year the island has seen at least 200,000 Poles immigrate, although some of them have already gone home when their jobs in the building sector disappeared.

The solution, according to Libertas, is to abolish the EU freedom of movement and have "blue cards", which would allow EU citizens to come for a maximum of two years, and not allow them to claim unemployment or other benefits.

This is of course completely irrealistic. It would demand a change of the EU treaties and abolish one of the four fundamental freedoms the EU is built upon. But it's probably a cunning way to lure voters, especially from the working class, in times of crisis. Already when I was in Ireland in June 2008, before the Lisbon Treaty referendum, the subject of foreigners taking "our" jobs did come up in those layers of society. I even found Poles who were agains more immigration to Ireland. Now the problem must be much worse.

Other Irish European Parliament candidates have immediately accused Libertas of "fascism" and reminded voters that many Irish would have to be kicked out from other countries.

The interesting aspect of this is that Libertas, or at least Declan Ganley started from a rather liberal (free-market I mean) economic outlook, and during the referendum one of his unstated messages was that a rich guy in a suit, who is not some king of freek, can also vote "no". I guess he has given up on that aspect, since "no" voters turned out to be majority working class anyway.

We shall see if this issue backfires for Libertas abroad in places like Poland or the Baltic republics. Libertas is cunning enough to bring it up only in Ireland. I get a press release from them almost every day, but not a word on this. But obviously word will get through, if nowhere else than in my "Gazeta Wyborcza" story.

Somebody in Ireland should also ask Lech Wałęsa what he thinks of it when he shows up at a rally on the island in the comming days. Wonder if he can agree with Libertas on this issue as well :-)

By the way, if you are not following the Irish polls: Libertas are far behind, with even Mr. Ganley himself at 9 % support, about half of what he needs to get elected. But I wouldn't bet on this one.