Godfrey Bloom, a British politician and representative of the United Kingdom Independence Party in the European Parliament, has warned Croatia not to repeat the mistake his country made by joining the European Union, claiming that EU membership will not bring it anything good.
Delivering a talk on the advantages and dangers of EU membership at Europe House in Zagreb on Tuesday, Bloom said that EU membership would bring Croatia neither economic nor democratic progress.
Why wouldn't you enjoy the partnership with the EU based on an agreement on free trade, Bloom wondered.
You don't need a political union to engage in trade. Those who claim otherwise are economically illiterate, said Bloom, an economist who entered politics only a few years ago.
He said that Great Britain had paid for its membership in the EU with widespread corruption and lack of democracy.
He recalled that his country paid 45 million pounds into the EU budget every day, however, nobody knew how the money was spent.
This has prompted a campaign in Great Britain to leave the EU and it is one of the fiercest campaigns ever, he said.
He also commented on the British judiciary which he said had given in to what he described as ridiculous and absurd laws adopted by the European Commission.
Describing his tasks as a member of the European Parliament, he said that laws were being adopted to standardise bottles for alcoholic drinks, tractor seats, goose eggs or even bananas.
The most dangerous thing, in his opinion, is that European legislation prescribes what people can do.
Our laws have always prescribed what you must not do and now laws prescribe what one can do, Bloom said, adding that any free person must see a danger in it.
