Yep … as I had hoped for! Only uncertainty is validity of referendum as threshold is a 30% turnout. The Dutch voters swung towards NO after the release of the Panama Papers and accusation towards US poster boy president Poroshenko of Ukraine. The parties that supported the EU Association agreement called for their voters to stay away from voting, hoping the threshold would not be met. The polls just a few days ago predicted a neck on neck race or toss-up between both camps.    

Exit Poll: Large majority reject EU-Ukraine agreement … threshold for validity yet uncertain

In the referendum on the association agreement with Ukraine, a majority of 64 percent of voters voted against the treaty. 36 percent is for. That research agency Ipsos reported in an exit poll commissioned by the NIS.

According to Ipsos is the attendance rate of 32 percent. The referendum is only valid if the turnout threshold of 30 percent is achieved.

But the turnout there is a margin of error of 3 percentage points. That is, after counting all votes the turnout 3 percent or 3 percent may be lower than in the first exit poll.

[Update-2] Netherlands ‘rejects’ EU-Ukraine partnership deal | BBC News |

This was a non-binding referendum. If turnout has passed the 30% threshold , the Dutch government will be under pressure to consider the result.

These are unchartered waters and it is too early to predict what impact, if any, the result will have on the Netherlands ratification of a free trade deal which has already been signed and sealed by all 27 other EU member states.

The fact that two thirds of Dutch electorate did not show up to cast their vote is also significant.

These early results [final] are likely to galvanize anti-EU campaigners, and the referendum was being seen as a test of public opinion on the state of the European Union.

President Putin’s government was vehemently opposed to the EU deal with Ukraine and was widely thought to have pressed then-President Viktor Yanukovych to reject it in November 2013. Mr Yanukovych’s decision prompted protests in Kiev that ultimately led to his downfall.

An embarrassment for PM Mark Rutte during his EU Presidency | The Guardian |

USAID, Soros Funding LGBT Community …

Fighting for US capitalism and targeting Putin’s Russia …

Continued below the fold:

[Update-1] Fostering anti-Putin resentment through funding LGBT community

Open letter to the LGBT Organizations of the Netherlands and the EU | Jan. 21, 2016 | [h/t Alturi]

April 6, 2016 Dutch citizens in a consultative referendum will express their opinion on the EU association agreement with Ukraine. The agreement defines the European way of reforming Ukraine and simplifies trade and economic relations between Ukraine and the EU.

The results of the referendum and the implications (if most Dutch vote against) are currently difficult to predict. But no doubt in case of advantage of the association’opponents, crisis in relations between Ukraine and the EU will happen.

FULCRUM, as one of the national LGBT organizations that care about the fate of the LGBT community, appeals to national LGBT organizations of the Netherlands and ILGA Europe with the request to agitate the society of the Netherlands participate in the referendum on April 6 and vote for the support of the Association Agreement between the EU and Ukraine.

For Ukrainian LGBT community, this agreement is crucial, because a number of provisions directly concerns LGBT, another part on properly organizing and providing comprehensive rights and freedoms principally affects the life of the community as well.

The last two years of the European integration of Ukraine have shown significant progress of our country on the rights of LGBT people. In particular, this fall the amendment banning discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity at work was adopted, and the government adopted an action plan to implement the national strategy for human rights which contains a block of government commitments dedicated to LGBT issues. In fact, the government has planned to develop a bill on civil partnerships and to oblige all employers adhere to the policy of equality in the workplace.

Of course, all this actions would not be completed without the association agreement with the EU. Three years ago we had passed a bill banning the promotion of homosexuality in the first reading, and our government used to express homophobic statements.

If the EU isn’t able to complete the ratification of the Association Agreement with Ukraine, all progress on LGBT rights is questionable and we will even go back to the situation 3 years ago.

On behalf of thousands of LGBT people living in Ukraine, we are asking the Dutch LGBT for solidarity and engagement in support of the “yes” campaign on the association agreement with the EU. We see no reason to fear that the agreement could harm the citizens of the Netherlands or other EU countries. Actually, the European Union was created on the principles of mutual support, solidarity and respect. And it is this support that Ukraine lacks at the moment.

Bogdan Globa,
Executive Director
AUCO FULCRUM

Ukrainian corporate equality index

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