Inhoud
the content in these wiki pages has been migrated to https://dutchvote.eu/en/ on feb 20th 2016, hosted by the Pirate Party in the Netherlands.
Information about the Dutch advisory referendum on the association treaty between the European Union and Ukraïne
This page is currently being translated and should be finished as of this weekend
Any questions not answered here (and other contributions or corrections) can be posted to this Piratepad. Please use Dutch (or English) only.
Read the comprehensive context first, for all background information and history of the association, Ukraïne and the EU.
What is an advisory referendum?
As of July first 2015 the Dutch have a new democratic instrument: the advisory referendum. Should people disagree with a passed law or treaty, they can try collect enough signatures to call for a national vote. The outcome or the vote is advisory, so not binding. The outcome needs to be 'taken into consideration' by parliament.
This is the second advisory referendum ever held in the Netherlands. The first was in 2005 and offered a vote on the new consitution for Europe.
Who is the 'referendum platform'
What are the Dutch voting for on this advisory referendum?
We're not voting for against just the text that was passed into law but also on the association agreement between EU and Ukraïne itself. The advisory referendum on the association treaty with Ukraïne is considered by some to be a vote in favour or against the political system or even Europe. The wording of the question asked in the voting booth on april 6th and public state provided information is done by the referendum commission. The question they formulated is ‘Are you in favour or against the law that appproves of the association agreement between the European Union and Ukraïne?’
Who is 'Geen Peil'
Who is The Referendum Commission
What were the forerunners to this treaty, do aother countries have such treaties, what's the history of Ukraïne and the European Union that led us to this treaty?
You can read the historical overview here.
What's in that association agreement the Dutch vote YES or NO on?
The original text is linked here, as is the summary the referendum commission created. Links to other summaries by third parties will be added here, when they come available.
- Answer the full text of the treaty by Dutch government. This association agreement also covers a trade agreement; The Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Area (DCFTA). The source file to that can be found under 'TITLE IV' of the treaty, a readable summary of sorts can be found here.
Who is 'europa-nu'
Who is The Referendum Commission
Who are actively having a 'YES I want this association treaty' campaign?
- The arguments of the 'YES campaign', with explanations
Who is stem voor Nederland] / vote for (or vote YES) Netherlands '(note; 'voor' in Dutch has a double meaning. It's both YES and FOR).
note; multiple Dutch political parties have begun campaining late february. Should we discover as of yet unlisted arguments for the YES campaign, they will be added here also.
Input by 'Stemvoor (nederland)'?
This group has repeatedly been asked to review these pages, (as have the other campaigning groups) and to volunteer sources to back up their claims. Should we receive any response from them, they will be added here.
Who are actively having a 'NO I don't want this association treaty' campaign?
- The SP Socialist Party also on this site
- The arguments of the 'NO campaign', with explanations
Who is Geen Peil
Who is burgercomité EU
Who is OekraïNEE
note; multiple Dutch political parties have begun campaining late february. Should we discover as of yet unlisted arguments for the YES campaign, they will be added here also.
Input by 'geen peil'?
* The name 'Geen peil' is a variation of 'Geen Stijl' which is a Dutch blogsite. Geenpeil was one of the groups that made the effort to collect the signatures needed to call for a referendum. They were actively making statements back then about why they thought a NO vote might be called for. As soon as the referendum became fact they changed their campaign to neutral. Official statement; “GeenPeil heeft voornamelijk campagne gevoerd op de onwenselijkheid van de Europese toenadering tot Oekraïne”..“Nu het referendum eenmaal een feit is, wil GeenPeil aan niemand opdragen wat ze moeten stemmen. Het ging ons immers om meer inspraak in de democratie voor álle kiezers.”..“De campagne zal daar ook op gericht zijn: of je nou positief, negatief of neutraal tegenover het associatieverdrag staat, GeenPeil wil iedereen faciliteren en helpen om zijn of haar standpunt uit te dragen. Opdat we in Nederland weer meer inspraak krijgen in een democratie van iedereen.”
Input by 'burgercomité eu'?
They're said to release a 20 page 'pamflet' [by end of february] in which they'll analyse the workings in the treaty. In addition they pointed out this book, that's written in German and should be available in Dutch end of February.
According to the publisher: German ARD-journalist Gabriele Krone-Schmalz: Understanding Russia. The fight about Ukraïne and the arrogance of the west. The book was first released in september last year and deals with the Ukraïne crisis. It contains historical context and an extensive analysis of the association treaty. In addition it describes predecessors to the treaty; it's spot-on on what the referndum is about. It's title 'understanding Russia is selling it a bit short, it's more comprehensive then that. It's just as much a history book on western involvement with Ukraïne and Russia in the past 25 years.“
What do Pirates think about this referendum?
The Pirate Party in the Netherlands is all for more direct democracy, like a referendum. A slogan of Piratenpartij is 'informeer jezelf' (inform yourself). People can very well make up their own mind about voting, or not voting and if they are; voting YES or NO. But a referendum done properly doesn't stop there.
Piratenpartij will actively campaign through http://dutchvote.eu and http://voorstem.nl where people can inform themselves, discuss and volunteer insights on questions like; 'what should be done differently, with regards to what this referendum is about for you'. This referendum involves Ukraïne also, as well as European Union member states. We encourage all to join the debate.
- http://dutchvote.eu The Dutch Vote (site mostly in English)
- http://voorstem.nl Vóór een échte stem (site mostly in Dutch)
In what other places is information about the referendum being shared?
Who is Wierd Duk
Who is 'follow the money'
Who is 'ioresearch.nl'
Continue to page two, containing extended context, backgroundstories and the short history associatieovereenkomst. What has happened in and to Oekraïne, Nederland and the EU, what happened leading up to this referendum.