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Lisbon Treaty is not only about abortus and "gay-marriages"

Wed, 19/03/2008 - 20:01 — admin-b

Recent news from Poland and Ireland suggest that instead on focusing primarily on basic question of a loss of member state’s sovereignty as such public debate tends to bend towards rather unexpected issues such as abortion in Ireland or “gay-marriages” in Poland.

In that manner Danish MEP Jens Peter Bonde found himself accused by the Irish Independent that he suggested that “an Irish yes to the Lisbon Treaty would outlaw the Irish rules on abortion.” (A ‘yes’ may bring abortion changes, says MEP) Bonde had to reply and explain his position in a letter to the newspaper.

Similar distortion of focus is happening in Poland. According to the EUobserver the Kaczynski twins are threatening not to approve the EU’s Lisbon Treaty in the country’s parliament unless the ratification bill contains legal guarantees respecting Poland’s sovereignty and its constitution as the highest law in the country…. …And may you ask yourself why? ….Out of worries about gay marriage “being imposed” on the country…

Those unfamiliar with the true nature of the problem called The Renamed EU Constitution could find themselves a bit puzzled since the “Lisbon Treaty” is much more worrying in many other political aspects and it does not deserve to be reduced to the level of only moral or “procreational” debate. However these developments show at least that the borders of its influence upon our lives are far from being clearly limited.

Comments

Wed, 19/03/2008 - 20:04 — Anonymous

Poland

There is quite an interesting development in Poland.

Firstly, they are collecting signatures to have a referendum. There is a campaign across the country from several parties and organizations. However, its extremely hard, 500.000 signatures is unbelievably high number to reach.

Secondly, the parliament decided to accept the treaty by parliament-vote, although they knew that normally a referendum would be the normal way for such a treaty. However the former government-party wanted the parliament to make a law, in which is written, that the acceptance of the treaty takes place in the belief, that Poland will further remain a sovereign state, and that they have the right to withdraw from the treaty. Otherwise they would vote against it, which would mean that there will be no treaty in Poland. So the premier said, that eventually this could mean new elections in this year.

This information comes from a euro-critic group in Poland, the Academic Club for a Free Europe, which I am Member of, and the news, that the Lisbon-treaty could lead to elections was written in mayor newspapers. Although it seems that there is no information about this yet in English, the German movement for a free Europe, which is associated with the Polish club may cover the issue in English and/or German language.

http://www.freies-europa.onlix.net

Wed, 19/03/2008 - 21:45 — Anonymous

Addition 4.

I have to add amazing news. It is the up-to-date-latest from today. I just read it in the evening newspaper and on television, so I couldn’t write it already in my above statement.

The clash between the two parties in the parliament has lead to a new situation. So probably there will be no new elections. This is because the president of Poland refuses to sign!!

That means he refuses it to sign without the law for guaranteeing sovereignty and so on. But the chances to pass this law are near zero. New elections have no impact on the president, he further will refuse to sign. So that’s an amazing new situation. That is why today afternoon the premier and other political leaders said, that a referendum about the Lisbon Treaty is near !!!

That would be the only way to solve the situation and he wants to pass it to the people. That’s really incredible news. But I have to say, that he of course knows, that the Lisbon Treaty actually is supported by the majority of the people. That’s because of the fact, that nobody knows its content.

Many people think its just some kind of reform, and they think that more EU means more wealth, they think (exactly that writes an author of a mayor newspaper) that in France and Netherlands they rejected the Constitution because they are egoistic and don’t want to share money with the Poles (that’s a citation).

It is said that in a referendum between 60 and 70% would vote Yes to the treaty. In today’s newspapers they write, that after Easter the parliament will decide about the referendum (new debate about a referendum) and a referendum could be within 90 days after that. That’s the latest news from the last hours. So, if there will be a referendum I will write it here on this page for you after a week.

Wed, 19/03/2008 - 22:05 — Anonymous

Addition 3

Although I presume that most of the readers do not understand Polish, I want to link to two mayor newspapers which presented the issue on the front page, another big one presented it on the front page, but it is not in the internet.

Nasz Dziennik - right-wing newspaper

The title says: Referendum at last

Gazeta wyborcza - left-wing newspaper

The title says: My president says No

Subtitle: President Kaczynski doesn’t sign the Lizbon-Treaty, which he negotiated himself? Premier Tusk doesn’t want to believe. But the president now intervened in the conflict.

Wed, 19/03/2008 - 22:26 — Anonymous

Situation has changed I.

Maybe the administrator can fit my comments in the right order.

I found the title of today’s Dziennik newspaper, which I actually read first and has up-to-date information about a referendum.

This is a picture of the front page. The title says: Referendum very near

Maybe they update their page about this.

Thu, 20/03/2008 - 00:16 — Anonymous

Situation has changed II.

As I read now, it is not exactly the way I wrote in first comment.

Premier Tusk doesn’t want a referendum, so it’s not true that he want to put it to the people. He said, that a referendum is an option and a referendum will be part of the debate.

So, there is no support for a referendum here, it’s just seen as a way out of the crisis. However, they prefer to solve the problem in the parliament.

So, the Dziennik Newspaper was a little bit optimistic. They are right that a referendum is closer and closer, but nothing is clear. But it’s a topic again, and quite possible, I will keep you informed.