15 November 2001 Edition
Prodi's contempt for democracy
The Sinn Féin representative on the National Forum on Europe, Aengus Ó Snodaigh, has said that the remarks by European Commission president Romana Prodi on Monday are a clear indication of the contempt the Commission has for the democratic process in member states.
"Romana Prodi's expressed wish to tighten the Commission's grip over the tax and spending policies of member states is again a clear indication of the contempt that the Commission has for the democratic process," said Ó Snodaigh.
"Coupled with his recent calls for sweeping changes in defence and internal security Prodi is determined to achieve by default what the Irish electorate rejected when they voted No to the Treaty of Nice in June.
"This cannot not be allowed to go unchallenged. The Irish government has an obligation to respect the will of the people and to defend their democratically taken decisions. Nice was rejected because people could see through all the euro-speak that Mr Prodi and his colleagues were on a superpower building exercise that had nothing to do with democracy and accountability.
"The fiasco over the funding of Aer Lingus already shows that Prodi's vision of Europe does not serve the interests of the Irish people. It is therefore all the more important that we collectively use the Forum on Europe to offer an alternative view."
Last week's meeting of the Forum on Europe in Dublin Castle heard representatives of the Czech Republic, Malta and Slovenia. Afterwards, Ó Snodaigh said: "Sinn Féin wants to retain the EU as a partnership of equals, something that will be eliminated under the Nice Treaty. Not only would this see the setting up of a two tier EU, it would see applicant countries entering on a different basis than current members.
"During the referendum campaign, and indeed in its aftermath, those who supported the Treaty claimed that those of us who called for a No vote were opposed to the entry of applicant countries into the EU. Nothing could be further from the truth, especially where Sinn Féin is concerned. Entry to the EU is a matter for applicant countries. But what we want to see is all applicant countries being dealt with on a basis of equality with current members.
"Sinn Féin wishes to retain the EU as a partnership of equal democracies, regardless of population size. There is no doubt in our mind that Nice, if passed, would have moved us another step closer to an EU dominated by the larger states and possibly, through the use of the "enhanced cooperation" clauses, to a two-tier EU.
"In the last two weeks the secret meetings of the defence ministers and prime ministers of Britain, France and Germany together with the meeting hosted by Tony Blair this week of eight EU member states to discuss the war in Afghanistan, leaving out the other seven, all give tangible proof that this emerging two-tier Europe is a reality."
"Sinn Féin wants a Europe of equals and we will continue to lobby and demand a better Europe for all rather than a second best one for some."
"Romana Prodi's expressed wish to tighten the Commission's grip over the tax and spending policies of member states is again a clear indication of the contempt that the Commission has for the democratic process," said Ó Snodaigh.
"Coupled with his recent calls for sweeping changes in defence and internal security Prodi is determined to achieve by default what the Irish electorate rejected when they voted No to the Treaty of Nice in June.
"This cannot not be allowed to go unchallenged. The Irish government has an obligation to respect the will of the people and to defend their democratically taken decisions. Nice was rejected because people could see through all the euro-speak that Mr Prodi and his colleagues were on a superpower building exercise that had nothing to do with democracy and accountability.
"The fiasco over the funding of Aer Lingus already shows that Prodi's vision of Europe does not serve the interests of the Irish people. It is therefore all the more important that we collectively use the Forum on Europe to offer an alternative view."
Last week's meeting of the Forum on Europe in Dublin Castle heard representatives of the Czech Republic, Malta and Slovenia. Afterwards, Ó Snodaigh said: "Sinn Féin wants to retain the EU as a partnership of equals, something that will be eliminated under the Nice Treaty. Not only would this see the setting up of a two tier EU, it would see applicant countries entering on a different basis than current members.
"During the referendum campaign, and indeed in its aftermath, those who supported the Treaty claimed that those of us who called for a No vote were opposed to the entry of applicant countries into the EU. Nothing could be further from the truth, especially where Sinn Féin is concerned. Entry to the EU is a matter for applicant countries. But what we want to see is all applicant countries being dealt with on a basis of equality with current members.
"Sinn Féin wishes to retain the EU as a partnership of equal democracies, regardless of population size. There is no doubt in our mind that Nice, if passed, would have moved us another step closer to an EU dominated by the larger states and possibly, through the use of the "enhanced cooperation" clauses, to a two-tier EU.
"In the last two weeks the secret meetings of the defence ministers and prime ministers of Britain, France and Germany together with the meeting hosted by Tony Blair this week of eight EU member states to discuss the war in Afghanistan, leaving out the other seven, all give tangible proof that this emerging two-tier Europe is a reality."
"Sinn Féin wants a Europe of equals and we will continue to lobby and demand a better Europe for all rather than a second best one for some."