Referendum in the Netherlands – venal game of the right parties

Tensions are rising as the referendum on the ratification of the EU-Ukraine Association Agreement in the Netherlands is looming scheduled for April 6. The flow of demagogy, lie and disinformation is pouring out or rather infiltrating into the minds of the Dutch people. It’s difficult to understand the whole picture. Even though the circumstances show that Ukrainian matter steps back to the sidelines.

Everything mingled together: euroskeptics, euro-lyrics, American enemies, American friends, Putin, Ukraine, Arabs, migrants, Schengen, Syria, ISIS, crisis etc. But while the parties standing up for “Against” ratification of the Agreement withhold something or speak reluctantly. Evidently there are ingenious calculations done. As apart from influencing the future of the Agreement outcome of the poll will provide serious impact on the Dutch’s inner life. Hence we can distinguish the interests of those actors who tend to use the referendum for their pathetic venal interest in a long-term prospective and to gain the votes on the upcoming parliamentary elections 2017 in particular.

In terms of politics there are several parties having deliberately opposing the Association Agreement between EU and Ukraine. Those spinning up the referendum issue the most proactively are the anti-European populist represented by the far right parties and the Tommy Wilders’ Liberty Party in particular. Using the fact that the Dutch are badly informed on Ukrainian matter, this party (which is likely funded from abroad) is seeking to represent Ukraine in the extremely negative light by setting the voters against the country with which the EU has already signed and ratified the Association Agreement. In case the majority of the Dutch, by efforts of the right parties, vote “Against” the ratification of the Association Agreement between Ukraine and EU on the referendum the government will find itself in a very awkward situation posing the question: what to do next? It may refuse of ratifying the Agreement and undermine the European unity and consequently national interests of the Netherlands or, regarding the advisory nature of the referendum, neglect it results and ratify the Agreement. The only thing is clear: disregarding the voters’ opinion will cost too much for the Dutch politicians.

Therefore the venal political interest of the far right parties who are the fervent opponents of the ratification of the Association Agreement by the Netherlands and in this view are demonizing the image of Ukraine within the Dutch people may provide a destructive impact on the destiny of the united Europe and the only actor on the international arena who will reap profit — Kremlin’s dictator Putin.