EU plans to force second Lisbon vote

[Oisín]

EU plans to force second Lisbon vote

PLANS to isolate Ireland and force the country to hold a second referendum on the Lisbon treaty by next March were discussed at a European Union meeting 10 days ago.

Minutes of the event, and of a separate dinner with the French minister for European affairs, record how key French politicians and other MEPs said that Ireland should be put in an “untenable position” by pressing Poland and the Czech Republic to ratify the treaty by December.

The minutes were made available by a high-level source who attended both events. They tally with publicly available EU minutes but include direct quotes rather than the diplomatic language of the official record.

The meeting and dinner heard how Ireland’s “intellectual mediocrity and lack of political courage” led to the rejection of the Lisbon treaty and included discussions of how to “cuddle and pamper” the Irish voter ahead of a new vote while at the same time “making pressures on them”.

The meeting between the European parliament’s committee for constitutional affairs and the European affairs committees of both the French senate and national assembly was held in Paris on October 9. It was followed by a dinner with Jean-Pierre Jouyet, the French equivalent of Dick Roche, Ireland’s EU affairs minister.

Jacques Delors, former European commission president,warned that Europe should be wary of conceding to Ireland on Lisbon and criticised the Irish government for “going solo” on the bank crisis.

The official minutes record that members of the delegation discussed “the necessity of ratifying the Lisbon treaty as soon as possible” and an anxiety that a second referendum should be held before the European elections next June. The delegates were concerned that the elections could become a proxy referendum on the treaty.

Pierre Lequiller, a French politician, said it was necessary to get the Czech Republic and Poland to ratify the treaty quickly as this would “modify the situation of Ireland”. Alain Lamassoure, a French MEP, said the Irish people should be made aware of the “consequences” of a second refusal.

Delors, according to the minutes, expressed concerns “about the price that Europe was willing to pay in order to obtain a ratification of the treaty by the Irish”. He said: “The Irish have since gone solo in the financial crisis. They must understand, however, that to be a member of the EU also includes certain demands.”

The minutes from the Sunday Times source show French politicians want Ireland to believe the EU will respect the country’s sovereignty and demands, while telling the Irish people how the other 495m Europeans are watching them and “will be really angry” if the answer is no again.

The meeting discussed the option of ensuring the next referendum in Ireland should involve a question to which the Irish could not say no.

This, according to German and French politicians, could be achieved by giving Ireland guarantees of sovereignty over issues such as neutrality and abortion.

It would then ask the Irish electorate to vote on whether or not the country’s membership of the EU was compatible with the constitution.

[Link]
EUSSR democracy exposed for the lie that it is.

[Vulpix]

Hardly surprising news. The EUSSR will try anything to get it passed.

The meeting and dinner heard how Ireland’s “intellectual mediocrity and lack of political courage” led to the rejection of the Lisbon treaty and included discussions of how to “cuddle and pamper” the Irish voter ahead of a new vote while at the same time “making pressures on them”.

Funny how when things don't go their way, it is due to "intellectual mediocrity" (read: voters are too stupid) and "lack of political courage" (read: whenever the pro-EU political parties aren't effective enough in brainwashing voters) !

[Loki]

This is disgusting, the way in which they are trying to bully the Irish voters into giving the result which they want to see. Is this democracy? Hardly, sounds more Stalinist to me. European "democracy" is a farce, anyway.

[Oisín]

The problem for them is the economy is in tatters and people are majorly pissed off with the government, if they make us have another referendum I reckon it will be beaten by an even bigger margin. They know this so already they're seeking out ways to censor the 'no' campaign. As it stands when there is a referendum the law here is that equal coverage must be given to both sides of the arguement in the media, they're trying to get that changed now.

[Thordis]

The Lisbon Treaty is really a resurrection of the EU Constitution. This quote by Dermot Ahern sheds some light on the matter: "The substance of what was agreed in 2004 has been retained. What is gone is the term 'constitution'." So, while the word "Constitution" has been dropped out of this treaty, some of the elements suppressing national sovereignty remain. Here's an article that does a good job at outlining them IMO:

President of Europe - Both the Constitution and Treaty contain plans to create an EU President.

Tony Blair has been named a frontrunner for a top post that will come with an official Brussels residence, a large political staff and, possibly, a personal plane.

The EU "Prez" will serve a two and half year term but unlike democratic heads of state he or she will be chosen by Europe's leaders not by voters.
Europe's President will take over key international negotiations from national heads of government.

Foreign Policy - The old Constitution created an EU "Foreign Minister", the new Treaty a "High Representative". The title has been chopped but his powers remain the same.

The new "High Rep" will run a powerful EU diplomatic service and will be more important on the global and European stage than national foreign ministers.

EU Interior Ministry - The Treaty creates a Standing Committee on Internal Security, already known as COSI.

The new body, dubbed an "Interior Ministry" by civil liberties campaigners, will centralise databases holding fingerprints and DNA.

Composed of unelected "securocrats", COSI will also make EU legislation on new police and surveillance powers.

The end of 40 vetoes - Under the new Treaty 40 national vetoes - allowing Britain and any member state to block EU measures that are against their national interests - are scrapped outright. At a time of soaring fuel prices, new EU energy powers will force the UK to free-up its oil reserves to other countries in a energy crisis.

EU law becomes supreme - The Treaty includes a clause hardwiring an EU "legal personality" and ascendancy over national courts. The Government claims that there is an "opt-out" on the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights which creates a "right to strike". But EU lawyers say the opt-out is not worth the paper it is written on. The Charter apply to the 75 per cent of UK legislation made in Brussels.

the other 495m Europeans are watching them and “will be really angry” if the answer is no again.

Yes, right.

It's only a matter of time, IMO, until the masses begin to realize it. So, atm at least, the EU needs a very strong force to hold it together, and systems that need force and pushing to the limits to be held together would not last forever. The USSR collapsed, and so will the EU eventually.