WHAT is happening to Europe? The recent inclusion of Slav and former communist-controlled states will not enhance its position one iota in world standings.

In fact, due to the fact that most of those newly-adopted cousins are of little more than Third World status, the opposite will prevail. As usual, big is not necessarily beneficial.

The European Union will welcome them with open arms, because they will then have a large nucleus of sycophantic supporters to back their strange policies and edicts. Due to their comparative primitive existences, without worthwhile industrial, agricultural, financial and generally economic strategies, the hand-outs they will receive will bring in benefits they had little dreamt of. Nothing concrete will be expected in return.

As a pensioner, I, personally, will have legally extracted amounts of tax, some of which probably expands our payment to the EU membership, which means that I (and many others) are contributing more to the common good than the whole populations of our newly-adopted relatives.

No doubt, also, will be the odd wayward head of state, who will siphon away some of these newly obtained benefits to supplement their inevitable exile.

What will Europe do? Nothing. The same as the rest of the world does when some African dictator does the same.

Once again, it doesn't take much to realise who one of the main contributors will be. Under our present and probably short term (his words, not mine) leader, pro-European and spineless, the three-card trick can still find suckers.

D WHITEHOUSE, Worcester.