EU constitution is a 'dead parrot'
A referendum on the EU constitution would be an “insane” waste of money, it was claimed today.
The Peace and Neutrality Alliance (PANA) said the constitution could not be ratified under EU law after its rejection by the voters of France and Holland.
Chairman Roger Cole said: “How can you possible justify spending €5m asking people if they support a dead parrot ? I could spend the €5m on people lying on trolleys (in A&E departments).
“It’s absolutely insane.”
Taoiseach Bertie Ahern should recognise that the French and Dutch people had driven a stake through the heart of the EU constitution, he said.
“The fact that the EU elite, including An Taoiseach, still wish to continue the ratification process is a clear indication they no longer support national democracy,” he said.
Mr Cole was speaking in conjunction with Thomas Rupp, the co-ordinator of the European No Campaign and British Green MEP Caroline Lucas.
Mr Rupp said his group represented a very broad alliance which was not against the EU but had very strong opinions on how to reform it.
“We’re a little bit overwhelmed by the successes in France and Holland,” he said. “Now we have to think about the next step.”
He said the voters in the recent Dutch referendum were not simply protesting against their national government but did not want to lose their influence or identity within the EU.
“The European Constitution is a very elitist project which left out the people. Now politicians have to pay the price.”
Mr Rupp warned that EU member states might try to sneak in part of the Constitution by the back door.
British Green MEP Caroline Lucas said she did not expect the constitution to be put to a referendum in Britain. She said it had failed to advance the key European goals of peace, justice and sustainable development.
“It takes power further away from the people. It fails to make the EU any more transparent, any simpler or any easier to understand,” she said.
She called on the British government to stop the ratification process and to join with other countries in devising a new approach.
“The Treaty of Nice doesn’t expire until 2008. That gives us two years to have a bottom up approach,” she said.
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