Moscow, September 10 (RIA Novosti), Ekaterina Blinova - European politicians have expressed deep concerns regarding Scotland's prospects for secession, warning that the new independent state could face certain obstacles when applying for EU membership.
"Under EU legislation, we are guaranteed the right to [the] free movement of goods, services and capital, as well as the right to live and work in any member state without undue obstacles. However, these freedoms could be put on hold following the referendum, should the people of Scotland vote for separation. The fact is we have been given no certain answers on what this outcome means for our membership in the EU," writes Catherine Stihler, a Member of the European Parliament for Scotland, in her article, "Scottish referendum result will have impact on whole of EU" for Parliament Magazine on September 8.
As the Scottish independence referendum approaches, prominent UK business leaders have begun expressing their discontent with the potential departure more loudly. Meanwhile, the markets have changed their prediction for Scottish independence from a "one in six chance to about one in four," according to the Economist.
"Many executives feel that separation would bring uncertainty on issues including currency, tax and trade regulations, potentially hampering the ability of Scottish-based businesses to export around the world. Others, with more-global businesses, are put off by the years of complex negotiations with the UK that would follow a "yes" vote," the Wall Street Journal reports.
Experts claim that Scotland would obviously face the prospect of capital flight and have expressed uncertainty regarding the ability of the Scottish economy to prove effective. The pressure on Scotland from the UK’s political leaders and Eurocrats has grown significantly in the last few weeks before the referendum. EU officials hint that an independent Scotland will not be able to join the European Union anytime soon.
According to the current policy of the European Commission, an independent Scotland would have to reapply for European Union membership as a new candidate. The Scottish government is obviously dissatisfied with Brussels over this, the Daily Mail notes.
It's worth mentioning that Scotland intends to continue using the pound on its territory. However, the Scottish government’s desires don’t align with EU rules, experts say. Senior British and EU officials insist that "Scotland must choose between independence and keeping the pound if it wants to be part of the European Union," writes the Telegraph.
"So an independent Scotland would face a simple choice – using the pound like Panama uses the dollar, or joining the EU. It can't have both. This shows yet again the nationalists failure to put forward a credible currency plan and the dangers it poses to the people of Scotland," underscored Danny Alexander, a UK Treasury Minister, as cited by the Daily Mail.
The currency issue is not the only obstacle to Scotland's membership in the EU. The Telegraph warns that both Spain and Belgium are most likely to block the Scottish application to join the European Union. The media outlet cites Ruairi Quinn, an Irish politician and a former president of the EU's Ecofin Council in 1996, as saying: "In my opinion, it is highly probable that at least two member states, maybe more, will vote no."
Mr. Quinn added that Spain and Belgium would not want "to create the precedent" of a region "deciding to leave and join the EU in their own right". The politician was referring to the separatist movements in Spain's Catalonia and in Belgium's Flanders region, stressing that the two states would try to preserve their status quo at all costs.
Opposing the idea of Scottish independence, British experts have emphasized that Scotland's separation from the UK would be ruinous for England: it would evidently hit the British economy and undermine its international prestige.
