Critical Observer

HOLLAND DOESN'T WANT UKRAINE IN THE E.U. SAYS ACTIVIST GROUP

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An initiative launched by a Dutch activist group and online blog rallying Dutch citizens to support a referendum on the EU's association agreement with Ukraine is gaining force; the local public poll results show that 73% of the Dutch think that it will eventually result in Ukraine's accession into the Union…and don't want this to happen. 
 
Geenstijl (No Style), an activist blog, has called on Dutch citizens to sign an appeal for a referendum on the EU's association agreement with Ukraine. 
 
The activists are benefitting from a new democratic tool in the Netherlands which allows citizens to call for a popular referendum on a recently adopted law or treaty. 
 
They have already gathered 150,000 out of the 300,000 needed to be able to submit it to the Electoral Council by September 28. 
 
The reason why they want to vote on Ukraine is the criticism of how the EU handled Russia's conflict with Ukraine and of the EU-Ukraine treaty, which they regard as “provocative and a threat to the welfare and well-being of us and the Ukrainians”. 
 
The group says that if the union opens borders with the country, which is currently at war, it will mean “open borders with a war zone”. 
 
Additionally, the agreement was one of the main reasons for the dispute with Russia and the civil war that broke out in the east of Ukraine. 
 
“The fact that [President] Putin’s attitude towards us is adverse, does not mean that Kiev has become a friend to us,” the local media quotes the activists as saying. 
 
“We are sending money to Ukraine, but the government seems to have no control over the situation. In such an atmosphere any reforms are doomed to fail, and without the reforms there is no sense in the association agreement.” 
 
However even if the campaign succeeds and a majority votes No in a referendum, the result will be non-binding for the country’s authorities who could still keep it in force. 
 
by Sputnik News

HOLLAND DOESN'T WANT UKRAINE IN THE E.U. SAYS ACTIVIST GROUP

An initiative launched by a Dutch activist group and online blog rallying Dutch citizens to support a referendum on the EU's associat...

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Spain Dumping Euros; Treasury places bills worth 3.9 bln euros on market

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MADRID, Aug. 25 (Xinhua) -- The Spanish treasury successfully placed on Tuesday treasury bills valued at 3.965 billion euros (4.557 billion U.S. dollars) on the market despite current tensions within financial markets. 
 
A total of 3.590 billion euros worth of nine-month treasury bills carried an average interest rate of 0.022 percent, showing no variations when compared with the previous auction held on July 21. 
 
The placement also included 375 million euros worth of three-month treasury bills that fetched an average interest rate of -0.072 percent as opposed to the -0.053 percent of the previous issue held in July. 
 
After the auction, Spain's risk premium stood at 136 points and Spain's 10-year bond interest rate stood at 2.053 percent. 
 
The Spanish treasury will hold another auction in September after placing in August 17.815 billion euros on the market. (1 euro = 1.15 U.S. dollars)

Spain Dumping Euros; Treasury places bills worth 3.9 bln euros on market

MADRID, Aug. 25 (Xinhua) -- The Spanish treasury successfully placed on Tuesday treasury bills valued at 3.965 billion euros (4.557 billi...

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