Nigel Farage: Your EU Empire has Just Expanded

Nigel Farage talking about a failed Youth Employment Initiative and an expanded EU empire through the accession of Croatia. He went on to say that “we offered a prize for the first euro-skeptic article to appear in a Croatian newspaper, and in the three years leading up to the referendum we didn't have to give away any money. And that's the point. It's a one-sided political debate, and it's all about the power of Brussels and the greed and vanity of politicians in member states.” European Parliament debate: Conclusions of the European Council meeting (27-28 June 2013) in Strasbourg on July 2, 2013. Source: UKIPmeps YouTube channnel.

Translated by: Jadranko Brkic

(see video below transcript)

Transcript:

Martin Schulz:

And now for the EFD group, Mr. Farage.

Nigel Farage:

Well, for the first time this year we have not just Mr Barroso, but President Van Rompuy has come to the chamber as well. And yet look around you, and what have we got? Five per cent turn out amongst members? Well they haven't missed much, just the usual drivel about the 'Fight against Youth Unemployment'.

Well, with 62% youth unemployment in Greece, and with Spain not far behind, it is perhaps about time we were honest and admitted we are causing it ourselves. We are doing it through the misconstruction of the euro, through the obsession with global warming and the over-regulated business model.

And yet your recipe is more bureaucracy. A youth guarantee scheme, another six billion for the Youth Employment Initiative, the setting up of the European Alliance for Apprenticeships backed up by the Quality Framework for Traineeships, and the list goes on and on and on of yet more highly paid civil servants setting up organizations that will achieve nothing.

Until the euro is broken up, until you reverse the social market model you will not help youth unemployment.

However, I must concede you have had one great victory. A couple of years ago Mr Barroso said the European Union was an 'empire'. And your empire has just expanded. Indeed, David Cameron appears to be the biggest cheerleader for the EU extending all the way to the Urals.

No, you've got Croatia! You have planted your flag on Croatian soil, not of course that there was much public support for this. Only 22% of the Croatians turned out to voted in the European Parliament election but there was plenty of support from the Croatian political class.

Oh yes, in fact the Prime Minister that negotiated entry, Mr Sanader who of course was jailed for 10 years last year for selling national assets, well, he has been backed up by the whole of Croatia, they've sold out their country, and they have done it for personal gain, they have done it to be on a bigger stage.

And a country that has fought for 800 years to be independent, after 20 years has given it away to these guys in front of us today.

Well, you may for the moment be getting away with it but it is not going to last very long. There is a gathering electoral storm. It is coming on the left, on the centre and on the right. You can hardly fail to notice what has happened in big countries like France, like Italy, what is happening in Finland, in the Netherlands and indeed even what is happening in Britain.

And I think the European elections next year present the opportunity for us to show you, Mr Barroso, that the European project is reversible and it needs to be reversed for the betterment of the peoples of Europe.

Martin Schulz:

Mr. Daul has a question for you Mr. Farage.

Joseph Daul:

On Croatia, Mr. Farage, they had a referendum. And they've freely by referendum voted to accede to the European Union. We need to respect democracy and referendums, you'll agree. Secondly, are you paid by European money or by UK money as an MEP?

Nigel Farage:

Well there was a referendum, in theory. You'll notice that less than fifty percent of people turned out to vote. You'll notice that millions of euros from European institutions were poured for many years into Croatia. You'll notice there was something called pre-accession aid, we could call it bribery if you like, that was poured into Croatia. And we offered a prize for the first euro-skeptic article to appear in a Croatian newspaper, and in the three years leading up to the referendum we didn't have to give away any money. And that's the point. It's a one-sided political debate, and it's all about the power of Brussels and the greed and vanity of politicians in member states.

And yes I am paid by the European Parliament, because what I'm doing, just as the Scottish national party do, just as the Irish nationalists in the 19^th century did, is we are using this money to expose the waste, the fraud, the extent to which our countries are now governed by these chambers. And the sooner I get the opportunity sir to be the turkey that votes for Christmas, I will do so.