Sturgeon’s EU dream could WORK despite Government denial, top Brussels chief claims
SCOTLAND’S intention to stay in the European Union while remaining a part of the UK – an idea rubbished by the British Government – could have happened, a top European legal chief has claimed.
Miguel Maduro: Scotland COULD remain in EU and UK
Professor Miguel Poiares Maduro, a former Advocate General at the European Court of Justice, said Scotland could see economic success under the arrangement, which was put forward by the Scottish Government under a paper titled “Scotland’s Place in Europe” following last year’s referendum.
But Brexit Secretary David Davis last week threw out the plan, saying it would not be practical.
Professor Maduro claimed the Government’s opposition to the idea is leading Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon to pursue a divisive second independence referendum
Scotland could stay in the EU and the UK, a top EU legal chief has said
Professor Miguel Maduro cited Greenland as an example of the plan
He said: “There is another possibility – that is to have that some UK citizens maintain citizenship of the European Union and others won’t.”
Professor Maduro cited the case of Greenland, which voted to leave the EU in 1982 despite being part of member state Denmark.
Greenlanders retain, however, EU citizenship through their ties with the Nordic country.
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Nothing prevents a part of the United Kingdom to stay and another part of the United Kingdom to leave
Professor Maduro added: “Nothing prevents a part of the United Kingdom to stay and another part of the United Kingdom to leave. We have a precedent with that - it's called Greenland.
“So in principle nothing would prevent the territories, for example, of Northern Ireland and Scotland to stay in the European Union and for the rest of the territory of the United kingdom no longer to be part of the European Union.
In March, the EU Commission’s spokesman, Maragritis Schinas, said Edinburgh would be subject to regulations stating any newly-independent nation would automatically lose their EU membership and seek consent from all member states to re-join.
Former Commission chief Jose Manuel Barosso said during the Scottish independence referendum that it would be nearly “impossible” for Scotland to re-attach itself to the EU.