"Irish ready to hold new EU vote"

The Irish Republic is willing to hold a second referendum on the EU's reform treaty if given certain guarantees by the EU, a spokesman has told the BBC.

Izvor: BBC

Thursday, 11.12.2008.

12:33

Default images

The Irish Republic is willing to hold a second referendum on the EU's reform treaty if given certain guarantees by the EU, a spokesman has told the BBC. Those legally binding guarantees are included in draft conclusions due to be presented to EU leaders at a summit getting under way in Brussels. "Irish ready to hold new EU vote" The Lisbon Treaty has been on ice since being rejected by Irish voters in June. The summit beginning in Brussels is also due to take crucial decisions on EU measures to tackle climate change. The proposal for a second referendum is included in draft conclusions which are being presented by the current holders of the EU presidency, France, and which have been seen by the BBC. According to the draft, the Irish government says "it is committed to seeking ratification" of the Lisbon Treaty by end of October next year. An Irish government spokesman told the BBC that it was "seeking legally binding instruments to address the concerns of the Irish people", and that once it got those assurances, it would present "a roadmap for ratification", that would include another referendum. The EU is set to offer guarantees that the treaty will not affect three main areas of concern to Irish "No" voters - abortion, Irish neutrality and taxation, says the BBC. Ireland is also likely to be able to keep its EU commissioner. The treaty is aimed at streamlining decision-making in the enlarged 27-nation EU. It cannot take effect unless all 27 states ratify it. But Irish voters rejected it in a referendum and objections have held up its ratification in the Czech Republic and Poland. Critics see the treaty as further evidence of a federalist, pro-integration agenda at work in the EU. Even some of its architects say it is just a modified version of the EU constitution, rejected by French and Dutch voters in 2005.

"Irish ready to hold new EU vote"

The Lisbon Treaty has been on ice since being rejected by Irish voters in June.

The summit beginning in Brussels is also due to take crucial decisions on EU measures to tackle climate change.

The proposal for a second referendum is included in draft conclusions which are being presented by the current holders of the EU presidency, France, and which have been seen by the BBC.

According to the draft, the Irish government says "it is committed to seeking ratification" of the Lisbon Treaty by end of October next year.

An Irish government spokesman told the BBC that it was "seeking legally binding instruments to address the concerns of the Irish people", and that once it got those assurances, it would present "a roadmap for ratification", that would include another referendum.

The EU is set to offer guarantees that the treaty will not affect three main areas of concern to Irish "No" voters - abortion, Irish neutrality and taxation, says the BBC.

Ireland is also likely to be able to keep its EU commissioner.

The treaty is aimed at streamlining decision-making in the enlarged 27-nation EU.

It cannot take effect unless all 27 states ratify it. But Irish voters rejected it in a referendum and objections have held up its ratification in the Czech Republic and Poland.

Critics see the treaty as further evidence of a federalist, pro-integration agenda at work in the EU.

Even some of its architects say it is just a modified version of the EU constitution, rejected by French and Dutch voters in 2005.

Komentari 0

0 Komentari

Možda vas zanima

Stiže novi "pakao"; Spremite se 0
Društvo

Stiže novi "pakao"; Spremite se

Kao u prvih 15 dana aprila, ovaj mesec će se završiti natprosečnim temperaturama. Prema najavi RHMZ u nedelju i do prve polovine naredne sedmice temperature će dostići letnje vrednosti.

7:21

26.4.2024.

13 h

Podeli: