Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2004-01-28-Speech-3-022"
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"en.20040128.3.3-022"2
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"Mr President, a few days ago, the Polish Prime Minister gave what I thought was a quite astounding reason for reaching an agreement quickly on the constitution, saying that in six months time, it would basically have no use. Either Mr Miller is a follower of Father Ubu, which would not be at all surprising for a Pole, or, more probably, this statement indicated that Mr Miller had concluded that, as this text would not in fact get us anywhere, there was not any point in delaying its adoption for much longer. Because, my dear Commissioner Barnier, the debate is not between ‘procrastination’ and ‘Never-Never’, but between ‘somewhere’ and ‘nowhere’, and nowhere is exactly where this draft constitution is taking us.
In reality, the European institutions, the Commission and Parliament combined, are clinging to this supposed constitution as if it is their last hope, while their policies, particularly this year, have clearly failed, and while public opinion is generally disenchanted, if we believe the latest Euro-barometer, which I think is enlightening on this subject.
In reality, the only policies that are working at European level are those that are made outside of any institutional framework, as we saw with the joint approach by the French, German and British foreign ministers in Iran or as we are seeing with what we at least hope are the first steps of European defence, by the same three countries which have been able to break free of all institutional suggestions, all ministers and all commissioners wearing two or three hats.
There will be a constitution, because the European machine cannot be allowed to fail, as you have all said. There will therefore be a constitution or something of that name. However, if it is a democracy, and in my mind a constitution is the privilege of a democracy, as Mr Poettering often says, a European democracy can only be established in one way, perhaps with the risks that it carries: through a referendum. If a referendum is not announced – and I regret that Parliament’s text, as usual, avoids this issue – Mr Poettering and others can be sure that the electorate, in June, will show you what they think of your supposed democracy."@en1
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