IT was inevitable that nationalists would seize on the LSE report on EU membership and the Velvet Divorce of the former Czechoslovakia (Letters, April 2), despite their earlier rubbishing of other opinions coming out of that academic institution. However, they choose at the same time to ignore the very real and pertinent differences between Scotland and Slovakia.
The industrial strength of Slovakia is founded upon a number of advantages that Scotland does not possess, including low wages, low tax rates, and a favourable geographic location in the heart of Central Europe. Of these, we know that driving down wages is part of Andrew Wilson’s SNP growth strategy, and that reduced public expenditure would be required to apply to join the EU as a new member state, but we are not there yet. Moreover, even the most ardent nationalist will admit that Scotland is a geographically peripheral territory.
Furthermore, the economy of Slovakia is heavily dependent on the automotive industry, which is all but absent in Scotland. Indeed, the VW takeover of Skoda plants also serves as an…
