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| The Little Island that Could: Nex the EU Constitution Vote |
| 2006-02-15 |
| In the decade since they voted to join the European Union the islanders of the Aland archipelago in the Baltic Sea have been outvoted and overruled by Brussels, time and again. Now Aland, a unique, autonomous region of Finland, is about to teach Brussels a lesson in democracy it may never forget. Thanks to a quirk of early 20th-century history, Aland's 26,000 people are essentially sovereign co-rulers of their home nation of Finland. As such, they can veto any international treaty that Finland wants to enter, including EU treaties. And the islanders are threatening to do just that when the European Commission attempts to revive the moribund EU constitution later this year. But last week the archipelago's head of EU affairs, Britt Lundberg, travelled to Brussels - a day-long trek - to deliver a warning that dismally low public opinion on Europe could mean Alanders prevent Finland from ratifying the constitution. |
| Posted by:Captain America |
| #1 We are Vikings! We will make oarsmen of the Belgies and silly Euros and make loft slaves of their women. http://www.osterholm.info/route/ |
| Posted by: KarlKiingofAland 2006-02-15 18:37 |