A Constitution By Any Other Name

Czech president says Lisbon Treaty project is over

The Czechs have hammered another nail into the coffin of the Lisbon treaty by declaring that ratification must stop.

Czech president Vaclav Klaus, who is supported by the country's largest political party, called the Irish referendum vote a "victory of freedom and reason" and said "ratification cannot continue".

His view was echoed in the Czech senate.

"Politicians have allowed the citizens to express their opinion only in a single EU country," Mr Klaus said.

"The Lisbon treaty project ended with the Irish voters' decision and its ratification cannot continue," he wrote on his own website, according to Czech news agency ČTK.

The resounding Irish no was a "victory of freedom and reason over artificial elitist projects and European bureaucracy," he said.

Přemysl Sobotka, Czech senate chairman, also said there was "no sense" continuing with ratification, according to the agency.

The Czech Republic, traditionally one of the more Euro-skeptic of the EU's 27 member states, is one of nine countries which have not yet ratified the treaty.

While little opposition to continued ratification has been seen yet among leaders of the other eight, efforts to keep the Lisbon Treaty alive in any form would be near impossible if another country joined Ireland in rejection.

Near impossible? In accordance with European Union rules, the EU Constitution Treaty of Lisbon is dead. Muerte. Mort. Tot. Mrtvý. Kaput.

A summit of EU leaders will look for possible solutions to the institutional crisis next week.

You betcha they will.

Busy throwing Israel under the bus and appeasing the Palis, shameless, disgraceful Condoleezza Rice was unavailable for comment.


Via The Telegraph

Arrogance On Display

Just three weeks as le gran poobah and he's already in somebody's sights.

EU referendum drive targets Gordon Brown
A cross-party campaign to be launched in September will personally target Gordon Brown for refusing voters a referendum on the new European Union treaty.

As the party conference season gets under way, the "I Want A Referendum" campaign will be launched with an "eye-catching stunt" and advertising in newspapers and cinemas.

A Daily Telegraph campaign for a referendum on the treaty had attracted 12,500 signatures by yesterday, reflecting growing demand for the voters, not Parliament, to be given the final say. The treaty revives elements of the EU constitution, rejected by France and the Netherlands in 2005.

The petition, launched online and in a coupon in this newspaper a week ago, demands that the Government stands by its manifesto commitment to hold a national referendum on the EU reform treaty.

In the Commons yesterday, Mr Brown again rejected calls for a referendum on the amending treaty, due to be agreed by EU leaders at the end of the year. He told Ian Davidson, Labour MP for Glasgow South West and a leading Eurosceptic: "There is no need for a referendum on any issue at the moment."

Heh. Brown just might find out that a majority in Commons may decide that there's no need for the current prime minister, too.

No confidence vote in 5 --- 4 --- 3 --- 2....

There's more.

European Union Bans The Eeeevil --- Barometer

I'd opine that it's the Silly Season in that bureaucrat's paradise, but with the exception of a few breaks throughout the year, when isn't it?

The parliament's environment committee rejected a bid to exclude barometers from the ban, which will also affect thermometers and blood pressure gauges.

The draft law is designed to phase out the use of a substance harmful to health and the environment.

It still has to be approved by the full parliament, and by EU ministers.

An amendment to the law supporting the continued manufacture of mercury barometers was passed in the European Parliament last November, but not supported by the member states.

The author of the amendment, British Conservative MEP Martin Callanan: "If you get rid of the companies they will then be forced to close, and that removes all of the expertise."

"So the many thousands of people up and down the country that have an existing barometer cannot get it repaired and will therefore throw it away which will result in more mercury entering the environment."

Boy, oh boy, oh boy! Citing something so eeevil as cause and effect relationship is so-o-o-o unfair.

Elsewhere, an excellent take over at EU Referendum.