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Could we imagine contemporary Estonia without the European Union?
Editorial: the union we wanted
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Today’s Postimees points to the upcoming 10th anniversary of Estonians voting, at referendum, to join EU, with 76 per cent voting yes and 33 no to membership and upgrade of our constitution. A decade later, we may assure ourselves once more: the choice was good – as evidenced by the Estonians’ unwaveringly positive attitude towards EU, a trend not altered by recession, euro crisis and chilly winds in domestic policy.
Despite all Estonian governments having set EU as a major goal, various doubts were in the air in August and September, 2003. In addition to the overall scepticism regarding «jumping from one union into another», the greatest worry was for the loss of sovereignty. Thinking that we will be burdened by all kinds of rules and be stuck in situations undesirable to us. That our culture would suffer and we would have no say. Some feared price hikes. A lot of scorn was poured on the EU bureaucracy and the weirdness its inflexibility produces, immortalised by the infamous «banana bend».
What, then, determined the support – back then and now? As suggested by communications expert Raul Rebane, the keyword is «security». Meaning, first and foremost, political and economic security.
The question may, however, also be put in reverse. Can we imagine the contemporary Estonia without the EU? Like: without freedom of movement? Without the €5bn plus poured into our economy, to build, renovate and develop? Over time, the benefits become self-evident; as hardships arrive, we will not take the trouble to consider how we got them.
Estonia joining the European Stability Mechanism (ESM) and European Financial Stability Fund (EFSF) has made many of us ask if the yes given ten years back is still legitimate. So far, the understanding prevails that a new referendum is not needed. Even so, the time may come when the EU treaties will have to be altered in a way requiring the opinion of the people again. It may quite definitely be said that even then we would give a carefully weighed answer – as on September 14th 2013.
Definitely, the EU of 2013 is not the same as that of 2003. Some expectations have proven to be exaggerated; some fears overly acute. Like a better Estonia, a better EU hangs of the input of each of us – a thing to be better aware of. The more so that in first half of 2018, we will assume its presidency.
But surely EU is the union we wanted to join. No regrets.