About as useful as anything else

As our readers will recall, I have always considered the entry of Romania into the European Union fraught with all sorts of possibilities.

Well, here is one. Ananova reports that witches in Romania (where it is a fully recognized profession probably with its own trade unions) have found a new outlet for their charms.

Witch Florica, from Pitesti in southern Romania, said: "It's a new type of spell that we had to work out of course.

"You cannot pretend you are a real witch if you cannot help a businessman get the European Union funds he wants.

"For example, only the other day I had a young businessman who came to me with his papers applying for European funds.

"I spread the cards on his documents, said my spells and splashed the papers with some potions. It only cost him about £40 for my charms but when gets the money thanks to my spells he will be happy and I will be happy because he will bring me new customers."

Perhaps, some of our businessmen and, especially, farmers could benefit from the lady’s efforts.

Another thought strikes one: if witches than why not vampires or werewolves? Could they be put to some use in the European Union?

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I suppose this makes sense to someone

According to a mediafax report, Romania's finance ministry paid the country's first monthly contribution of 254.82 million lei (EUR1=RON3.3560) to the European Union's budget, finance minister Sebastian Vladescu said Wednesday.

Vladescu said Romania, which is EU’s newest member state along Bulgaria, is to receive a RON89.8 million aid from the E.U. in January. In 2007, Romania is to contribute some EUR1.1 billion to the E.U. budget, while the commission allotted the country up to EUR1.4 billion in 2007 funds.

The only trouble is that "someone" does not include this writer.

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They can stick their blue flags ....

At midnight tonight, with the dawn of the New Year, Romania and Bulgaria join the European Union, bringing it to 27 members. But that means more than them joining a cosy little club. It means that Romanians and Bulgarians have the right to enter our country. They do not, as yet, have a right to work here – unless they are self-employed – but who is checking?

It does mean, though, that their governments become part of our government. Romania and Bulgaria will supply officials, high and low, to the EU commission, which makes decisions on how we in England are required to run our affairs. Their ministers join the Council of Ministers, which decides which laws are adopted, and their heads of government become members of the European Council – and decide on "European" political strategy. For that privilege, we also pay several more billions into the kitty.

The funny thing is, I do not ever remember being asked - not by my government or anyone else - if I wanted Romania and Bulgaria as part of my government, giving their officials the right to decide on the laws that affect me. And do I mind? Hell yes! I do mind, very much indeed.

Accordingly, I will not be welcoming the latest new members into the "club". I would sooner they and all the rest celebrated our departure from it. In the meantime, they can - as the song goes - stick their blue flags up their .....

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