As I write, July 1st, France takes over the six-month Presidency of the EU. And they're off to a rough start, for this morning's news is that Polish President Lech Kaczynski has refused to sign off the ratification of the Lisbon Treaty, on the very reasonable grounds that after the Irish NO vote, the Treaty is dead. The splendid Vaclav Klaus of the Czech Republic is also delaying ratification.
Meantime other EU leaders mouth platitudes about "respecting the Irish vote", yet they press ahead with ratification in defiance of public opinion. The EU loves to talk about "democracy and the rule of law", yet if you want to find those values you have to look not in London, or Paris, or Berlin, but in Prague and Warsaw. At least Poland and the Czech Republic are prepared to stand up for freedom and democracy. Well done them.
What the Irish Commissioner said...
Ireland's EU Commissioner Charlie McCreevy (a fairly sensible man for a Commissioner) has passed some trenchant remarks on the Irish referendum result. According to the Irish Independent, he said the turnout for the referendum had been very high; the people had spoken; and the treaty as planned could not go ahead. He told Irish radio, "I somehow suspect that if many other member states of the EU had to put it before their people, the result would be the same". According to EUobserver, McCreevy added: "We should remember that Ireland is not alone in being unable to secure a popular endorsement of a European Treaty. As politicians this is something we need to learn from."
What the French President said...
"The Irish are bloody fools. They have been stuffing their faces at Europe's expense for years, and now they dump us in the s**t" (reported in The Times, June 20th). This is what is known in Brussels as "Respecting the Irish vote".
And an Irish view on the US elections: 'We in Ireland can't figure out why people are even bothering to hold an election in the United States. On one side, you have a gal who is a lawyer, married to a lawyer, running against a lawyer who is married to a gal who is a lawyer. On the other side, you have a war hero married to a good looking woman who owns a beer distributorship.
- What are you lads thinking over there?'
... Rainfall in Paris today... what’s about tomorrow, Nicolas?
It's August -- have a great holiday!
