onsdag 18. januar 2012

The Idea of EU is so important, and we must not loose the sight of it in our short term challenges

A Norwegian team of experts published today a report of the Norwegian ESA-membership since we joined. The hard fact is that Norway is 70% aligned and that any policy or recomendation has been widely supported by our parlament.  The fact is also that our oil-powered economy is all dependent on EU, more than them beeing dependent on us. The sad fact is that the people in Norway has decided to pay the bill but not beeing able to influende throught the true democratic model that EU actually is.

The conversation will be heated the next comming weeks, and politicans and experts will take the stand with opinions and solutions.  A long needed discussion or conversation that I have been longing for a long time. I do also hope that we can have a conversation seeking for a better solution for Norway on how we can merge into a position where we can influence.

I do also hope that the conversation will introduce the bigger perspective to the narrow sighted perspective I often find dominate in the Norwegian news picture. The world has turned truly global, you might not get the impression when you pick up any norwegian news providor. Having a global role I sense everyday how Norway is loosing behind and not understanding how the world is getting faster, furious and better empowering the individual with available knowledge and access to opportunities. 

I do believe in EU, also in EU's ability to find it's new shape. EU must be more costeffective and must change, but the option is not to have it. The responsibility for that change is for every one of us. A sustainable democracy is so much better than any other option. If you have forgotton, plan a trip to the information center in Brussel to get a fresh update on where we came from.