On the 9th of November 1989, Europe was changing
forever. The Communist Block across the continent was collapsing and the
divisions that once existed, were crumbling.
No other event could portray this historic development better,
than the Fall of the Berlin Wall. A city divided in a country partitioned by war
and ideology decades ago, was finally tearing a landmark which manifested those
divisions down.
People from both sides were taking part and the whole world
was watching. Europe, just like Germany itself will never be the same again, in
fact their fates would be entwined more than ever.
The Fall of the Berlin Wall was the crescendo of a process
that started prior some time in neighboring Poland, when after months of campaigning
and civil unrest, saw the trade union “Solidarity” winning overwhelmingly a
partially free election.
Soon after Hungary and the then Czechoslovakia followed suit,
as the movement was spreading to East Germany and every other state in the
Communist Block. It led to the collapse of Soviet Union and Europe was once
again at the epicenter of a global shift, leading it.
The collapse of the regime was brought about by a series of
civil resistance movements, which opposed the communist one-party rule,
demanding change. The series of the revolts across Europe that became a full-blown
revolution, came to be known as the “Autumn of Nations”.
Wired fences between Hungary and Austria were removed and
thousands of East German refugees were escaping from Hungary and Czechoslovakia,
into Western Europe. Soon after, as East Germany was being destabilized, the
Berlin Wall was being dismantled by the same people it was supposed to hold
back and separate from one another.
The outcome of this was the reunification of Germany and ultimately,
that of Europe. The euro, the Schengen Agreement, the Maastricht Treaty, the EU
expansion to include most of former Soviet Republic states, none of that would
have happened in the Berlin Wall was still there.
There was for two decades a euphoric sentiment in our
continent; that of brotherhood and unity, of European integration, dialogue and
free movement, lack of borders, walls and anything that separated people,
ideas, goods and capita from moving from one corner of the continent to the
other.
Fast forward 30 years and Europe is at the epicenter once
again, while this time things appear to be moving in reverse.
Barbed wires are still being established on Hungarian
borders, this time not with Austria but with Croatia, to keep another wave of
refugees out. These people that try to escape war and oppression, do not come
from within Europe’s borders, but predominantly from Syria.
Poland and Hungary are not leading a change to more freedom
and democracy, rather show signs of liberalism fatigue and isolationist
tendencies. Two countries that were in the forefront of the collapse of Communism,
that inspired a change so drastic for millions in Europe and beyond, now prefer
to shun Europe and further integration, while electing Euro-skeptic
governments.
The euro itself, one of the symbols or European unification,
barely survived the economic crisis a decade ago, while is still feared by many
across the continent, that see it as the cause of their country’s economic
woes.
Britain decided to leave the EU, primarily after objections
and fears deriving from “waves of immigration” coming from the Eastern European
states. They want to “take back control” of their borders and escape the EU’s “interfering,”
in their internal affairs.
Polish people and other Eastern Europeans, who were once welcomed
in Britain and the rest of Western states, they are now being scapegoated for “stealing
jobs” and causing a strain in social cohesion, services and national resources.
Together with all EU nationals, are now being threatened to “go back”, in order
to save the British economy and lifestyle.
Across Europe Euro-skepticism and populism thrive, while
there is an overall indifference to the EU and its institutions, if not
hostility and suspicion. And all it took were one economic and euro-zone crisis,
combined with a refugee emergency to completely change European minds.
EU expansion is under “fatigue,” and many states in Western
Balkans like Albania have been put in a long waiting room, while euro-zone
membership is not as appealing. Seemingly, the European public opinion just does
not want any more foreigners entering, no matter where they come from.
Yet, nowadays the average European is taking what he has
gained thirty years ago for granted. They can travel with ease- even three
times a year- live or study in every country they want, gaining experience and
maximizing their potential, however that is trivial now that immigrants from
other regions are knocking at our door.
The fact that the decisions we took collectively 30
years ago, made Europe one of the most stable and prosperous regions of the
world and that is why so many outsiders are wishing they could live here, or
achieve similar standards is outrageously forgotten.
Infighting over resources, national interests, money, power,
status and our inability to abandon our nationalism and chauvinistic mentality
are threatening to tear what we have built all these years. People are willing
to come to Europe now, for the same reasons Eastern Germans were so desperately
trying to escape their regime back then.
The European integration process and the single market are
the only reasons why Europe is so rich and a magnet for investments, try to destroy
this and Europe won’t be as appealing anymore. Is it worth it I wonder, only because
we do not like to live among “newcomers”?
Not that immigration and the refugee crisis do not pose a
serious challenge, however we could learn from the mistakes made so far by
Western European countries, when dealing with such issues. There is no reason why
their failures should become a catalyst for regressing to what Europe was once;
divided and poor.
It is true that the corruption and scandalous arrogance and
indifference of the European governments and elites, as well of those very EU “bureaucrats,”
have soured the European people’s relations among them and added to their
frustration and skepticism towards the EU.
However, if we destroy what we have built for the past 30
years, it is us that will have to pay the price and face the consequences, not
the elites that we so much want to punish and hold accountable.
The last time we turned against the establishment in Europe,
we brought down barbed wire fences, the walls they built to separate us, and we
welcomed one another; We chose to live in border-less societies and travel freely
within our continent. Now why do we choose to do the opposite?
Africa is about to create its own integrated market and
political block, modeled after Europe’s achievements, yet we are seeking to
destroy what others are trying to copy from us. And not just Africa, but many other regions of
the world.
I hope they are watching how Europe is ridiculously shooting
itself on the foot and try to avoid our mistakes. Perhaps in the future, they
will be the ones to remind us of how great Europe once was.
