Kafka's homeland

The EU offered its role as a mediator in the Caucasian crisis. The French, in particular, are having an extremely active moment. Since their occupation of Odessa during the Soviet Revolution this is probably the most active Russian period of my good French cousins. One can be quite skeptkical of the possible results, yet at least someone DID something, instead of just taking sides and betting money on who will kick who, while the dead count keeps rising.

The very same day, top representatives of Poland and the three Baltic republics made themselves notice at a nationalistic meeting in Tbilisi, appearing on stage together with the obvious star of the show: President Yushchenko. Yushchenko certainly was not a surprise, but to a certain extent the appearance of members of the EU was.

It is quite weird that while a Union (Federation, Gentlemen's Club or whatever you'll like to call it) assumes the official investment of a super partes mediator some of its members will appear siding one of the involved parties (no matter which one and why). This is speaking volumes about the idea of the Union these nations have and about the poor professional level of their political representatives. Indeed, the rest of Europe basically ignored their presence, mostly like you'd ignore a baby's scream at a formal reception.

But if you come to think about it, it is also a surprise that this widely publicized UE role was carried on by the French President, who has not received any official appointment to the role by the EU. It is funny that one of the most vocal supporters of the Lisbon Treaty (Mr. Sarkozy) would so openly violate the spirit of that "concentration of powers" that is strongly advocated by the Treaty. Once again I cannot avoid asking myself if anyone DID take the time to read the text of that damned Treaty, after all.

It is a pitiful sight to see this much discussion on principles and this little coherent action. United Europe is quickly becoming the 21st century Utopia. Like Communism in the '30s, all love it and all want it, only... "it's a bit too early, now. Let's begin tomorrow". Instead of using this crisis to discuss and maybe experiment a mechanism that will give us a foreign policy worth the name we all keep going out on our own, like peasants at some foolish crusade. And just like peasants at some foolish crusade we shall end, because history does not tolerate the vainglorious and the incompetent.

I still hope and pray that sometimes, somewhere in Europe at least ONE statesman will be born. But I'm admittedly growing sceptical. Extremely sceptical.

PS I'm one of those who actually OPPOSE the Treaty, but at least I took the time to read it and make myself an opinion. France and Latvia even went so far as to deposit their approval, Poland only misses the Presidential approval, Estonia and Lithuania already went all the way and only need depositing their already taken final decisions (see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Treaty_of_Lisbon#Ratification_statuses_at_a_glance ).

So... on one hand I am often classified as anti-European (because no, I don't think the Union has the right to kill me, when I dissent from its lawmakers, and THIS is one of the many awful things this Treaty says), while on the other those who are so desperately in love with the Treaty actually use it as toilet paper in their everyday behaviour.

Welcome to Europe, i.e., to Kafka's homeland...