Posted on 10/25/2005 9:10:51 AM PDT by lizol
Heh... actually; now you'll see what happens when EU pushes :)
Remember Haider?
Austria almost got kicked out of EU over him and his nationalistic policies.
Poland reinstates death penalty = gets kicked out of EU (and Poland can't afford that).
Poland tries to mess with gay rights too much = gets kicked out of EU (yep... you're right; they still can't afford that).
etc.
EU = playing by the combined rules of all member states (and some things, such as abolition of death penalty are held very dear to us - and anyone trying to change that should be prepared to leave the EU borders really fast - either voluntarily or forced).
PS: The new polish president said what he had to say to win the elections; now he'll follow the rules; or his country will suffer the consequences.
In case of death penalty in Poland I think that referendum would be a good idea.
I think it would be easier to reinstate slavery.
No EU country would vote for death penalty; it's something we left in the past. Anyone suggesting death penalty would simply be branded as an idiot and that would be that; especially if they tried to use religion as an excuse.
But.. I think that if we had referendums all over EU on this issue most nations would say yes to death penalty. I don't know the results of opinion polls from every EU country but I think that with the exception of Scandinavians and maybe Germans most of Europeans are in favor of it.
Which is sad because death penalty is evil (as the Catechism of the Catholic Church states). How does it look like in Slovenia? Do you know any opinion polls on death penalty from your country?
"No EU country would vote for death penalty"
I read that 75% of Poles support death penalty.
"it's against EU regulations..."
I know, but in my opinion people should decide.
"Besides - would you also like a referendum on abortion?"
No, but that is something different.
Slovenia... not sure; I could check the 2005 SJM (Slovenian public opinion survey) at uni tomorrow; but I think the percent is somewhere at 85% against.
Other countries aren't much different, but I'd have to check if there's a question about it in the ESS (European social survey). But already in the 60's the death penalty didn't have much support in most EU nations (hence why it got abolished).
Italy is one of the countries that is most opposed to the death penalty.
Really? Then Hooray for Slovenia! But you're claims seem to much too optimistic. I'll have to check it up, I'll post it later. For one thing, I know for a fact that the Brits are in favor.
eh... the best data I could get atm is the positive/negative attitude towards the abolition of the death penalty
1 = very negative; 5 = very positive
7,2% = very negative
19,1 = negative
20,7 = neutral
28,9 = positive
17,2 = very positive
5,2 = no answer
that was the status 3 years ago (2002); but the trend from the previous years (2001) is a drop in the negative % (from 2001-2002 the very negative side lost 1%, negative lost 1%, neutral gained 3%, positive lost 5%, very positive gained 3%).
Usually, for the point of public opinion neutral opinion is applied to the position of the state :/
But I admit; I was a bit optimistic (although tbh I haven't heard anyone trying to advocate death penalty; neither in the media or in private life).
+ Usually in the pro/against death penalty you have only yes or no; and in such cases people decide for no :) [talking from experience here]
I have read that more than 50% of the Czechs support death penalty.
That's all that I could google up for now. I'm still looking for something better.
This is not the time to get nationalistic. I give the Mr. Kazcynsky a chance. Germanys President Köhler chose to make his first trip to the foreign to Poland in order to show the importance of our relations. Let´s see where your President will fly to, dear neighbours. But I have news for you - and since the majority of his voters came from regions that have not that much contact to Germans I will exclude the voters of Mr. Tusk - Germany is not your enemy. And there´s no need to "stand up from your knees", because in our eyes, you are not "on your knees". It is not our problem that Poland has such a low self esteem. I say that without a glimpse of evil. Poland has an inferiority complex, and that´s a bad counselor. I hope and I´m sure as time goes by that you get over this. Most Poles, who live near the German borders, have a good sense of reality - they know that there´s no reason for this inferiority complex.
Agreed; EU is not about being controlled by another country, or even a small minority of countries. You are left to do what you want, unless it's the majority of countries that demands something (and even then, most of the time you can escape it).
EU is still more or less an economic entity, the new constitution would have turned it into both economic and political body, but alas, that did not come to be.
Polish ppl shouldn't worry really, the country is big, it'll get new markets within EU (of course, some industries will fall apart... for example textile industry - but of course that's not really due to EU but China). Also, EU offers new study opportunities (Erasmus program; quite popular - around 1/5 of my friends from uni is studying abroad (1 semester), although I can't really understand that since our uni is cheaper (read: free) and in most views better).
All in all, poland will stay poland, the economy should profit from the entry into the EU, but there is a small price to pay for that (like adjusting your social normatives to the civilisational standards of the EU <- I hope it doesn't come out in the wrong way, but I have problems paraphrasing that sentence).
"His task will be to care about Poland's national interests"
It's not the polish national interests that's the problem here. Death penalty, discrimination of gay ppl (like banning the gay pride march in Warsaw, or telling the media he'd ban all gays from working with children). Civil + political rights are important for the wellbeing of the EU, without those, all our countries would degenerate into chaos.
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