Silence the Critic

Campaigning British Euroskeptic William Deller recently wrote, in criticism of the European Union, “The absurdity of the EU project is astonishing, but the main casualties of Britain’s membership have been democracy and truth” (Lantern, Oct. 2002).

Indeed, not only Britain, but every country being dragged into union with this monolithic, divisive mixture of iron and clay that the EU has increasingly proven to be is finding that, for them also, the “main casualties” of membership have been “democracy and truth.”

As it happened, it was an Englishman who was the initial casualty of the EU effort to squelch any initiative to expose its undemocratic and untruthful ways from within. The first of others to follow was Bernard Connolly, a civil servant who authored The Rotten Heart of Europe, exposing the evils of the European Exchange Rate Mechanism and the truth about the European Union. “Europe,” he wrote in the introduction to his book, “has been promoted … almost as synonymous with Christendom ….”

Connolly complained of the “intellectual terrorism” extant within the European Commission which “stifled any attempt at serious, open-minded discussion of European monetary issues.” He exposed what he termed the “titanic … battle for control of the European superstate, in which French technocrats confront German federalists, both sides claiming to fight under the banner of Charlemagne” (emphasis mine). In carefully chosen words, he spoke of “the ‘collateral damage’ from this battle” that he warned “could be ghastly” (The Rotten Heart of Europe).

For his pains, Connolly was summarily dismissed from his post in 1995. His subsequent appeal was heard by the European Court of Justice in a well-publicized case. The Eurocourt, naturally, quashed his appeal.

Then, in 1998, the Dutch auditor Paul van Buitenen exposed massive fraud by the European Commission. His job was stripped from him, his life was threatened, and he was declared personanon grata by the EU.

Notwithstanding attempts to silence the auditor, the extent of fraud that he revealed was so embarrassing that, the following year, the EU felt obliged to sack the whole European Commission! In a face-saving exercise, it established a new anti-fraud office.

A year after this event, however, a report from the EU itself freely admitted that it had made absolutely no inroads into stemming the flow of fraudulently siphoned-off EU funds, and had not checked any of its rampant corruption! “The new anti-fraud office created by the European Union to root out corruption in Brussels is no better than its predecessor and has failed to break free from political control, according to an internal EU report. A year and a half after the collapse of the Santer Commission amid allegations of fraud, nepotism and dirty tricks by the Commission’s security service, little seems to have changed” (Daily Telegraph, London, Aug. 30, 2000).

In May of last year, yet again the EU felt obliged to confess its utter failure to deal with the extent of fraud within its own ranks. According to the Europe Information Service, on May 15 the European Commission reviewed its protection of EU financial interests and the fight against fraud in the 2000 EU budget. The review indicated that the member states and the Anti-Fraud Office (olaf) handled 6,955 new cases last year with an overall budgetary impact (real or estimated) of over 2 trillion euros—us$1.94 trillion! “This represents a record level of fraud and irregularities, according to the report” (European Report, May 16, 2001).

Of course, none of this has led to an offer to reinstate either Mr. Connolly or the Dutch auditor.

This past August, the senior accountant at the European Commission warned the EU that its accounting procedures left its $60 billion budget wide open to fraudulent practices. The result? She was suspended from her job!

“Marta Andreason was first moved sideways within the Commission after she spoke out about the state of the Commission’s accounting methods, saying it was impossible to keep track of spending. She has now lost her job altogether after saying she was being asked to sign off accounting reforms rather than proposing better ones” (bbc News, Aug. 30).

So, where is the democratic process in all this? Where is the transparency, and where is the accountability for performance? It becomes clear by these actions that Bernard Connolly’s original claim—that “Cheating is what Europe is all about. Lying is what Europe is all about”—is right on line!

Here is a body of “responsible” individuals, unelected Eurocrats, who allow themselves to publicly confess their inability to control internal fraud. But when civil servants have the courage to stand up and say, “You’re open to fraud, and I see the reason why and I can tell you how to fix it,” they are sacked!

Surely a less accountable, less democratic institution could not exist!

The aging Apostle John, viewing from afar across the breadth of time, saw in his mind’s eye, via his inspired vision documented in the book of Revelation, the true nature of this Eurobeast and the source of its corrupting power. Speaking of those nations drawn into this great politico-religious-economic combine, John stated, “These have one mind, and shall give their power and strength unto the beast” (Rev. 17:13).

But from where does this beastly Eurofederation, destined to shortly dominate the globe, gain its power? It is clearly revealed in John’s great apocalyptic vision: “the dragon gave him his power, and his seat, and great authority” (Rev. 13:2).

Ought we to wonder then at the fraud and deceit that is such a vital component of the EU’s nature, when we realize the power that is leading it? “Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it” (John 8:44).

In the months ahead, the fractious nature of this final resurrection of the Holy Roman Empire will become increasingly evident. Great strains will be felt within the EU as it struggles to absorb up to 13 more member nations. Watch for socio-economic disruption in Europe as its feet of clay appear (Dan. 2:41-43). Then watch for a powerful leader to rise up through flatteries and great deceit (Dan. 11:21) to take on the overall leadership of the EU and ultimately steer it on a course of lying and deathly confrontation with the Anglo-American peoples. For more information, request our booklet Germany and the Holy Roman Empire.