EU's Capital of Culture move is so petty and spiteful

I was disappointed to hear that the European Commission has cancelled the UK's allocation for European Capital of Culture for 2023.
By The Newsroom
Published 28th Nov 2017, 07:00 BST
Updated 12th Dec 2017, 04:12 BST
Letters to editorLetters to editor
Letters to editor

The Commission attempted to justify this decision as the UK will have left the European Union by 2019.

However, this ignores the fact that the European Capital of Culture has been allocated to countries outside the European Union, including Icelandic capital Reykjavik in 2000, and Istanbul in Turkey in 2010.

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At the time of Iceland’s allocation it was not even an EU candidate state.

A joint bid by Belfast (pictured above) and Londonderry to be named European City of Culture in 2023 has been declared essentially void by the EU, on the basis that the UK is leaving the union in 2019. Picture: NI Tourist BoardA joint bid by Belfast (pictured above) and Londonderry to be named European City of Culture in 2023 has been declared essentially void by the EU, on the basis that the UK is leaving the union in 2019. Picture: NI Tourist Board
A joint bid by Belfast (pictured above) and Londonderry to be named European City of Culture in 2023 has been declared essentially void by the EU, on the basis that the UK is leaving the union in 2019. Picture: NI Tourist Board

I believe this latest move by the EU Commission is another example of the petty and spiteful approach the EU Commission is adopting towards the UK in light of Brexit.

The EU Commission has engaged in a co-ordinated campaign of highly damaging and political leaks during the Brexit negotiations designed to undermine the position of the UK government at home.

This, combined with their deliberate and unjustifiable efforts to delay the progress of EU talks, is clear evidence their commitment to the progress of European federalism outweighs their concern for the economic, security, and social best interest of their member states.

Alexander Redpath, UUP, Lisburn and Castlereagh City Council

Related topics:TurkeyCity CouncilBrexit