Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2005-01-11-Speech-2-140"
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"en.20050111.10.2-140"2
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"Mr President, ladies and gentlemen, I reject totalitarian regimes. My grandmother’s family died in the Nazi gas chambers. My father was incarcerated by the communist regime. We have paid in blood for our commitment to the freedom of conscience, which was embodied for us by Europe as a hope for democracy, freedom of thought, religious freedom and freedom of conscience.
I believe that none of you would consider me to be anti-European if I were to pose a few questions. Why is the European Parliament pronouncing on the Constitutional Treaty before the citizens of the individual states? Do we need Europe to be governed by a constitution? The sovereignty of Member States should not be threatened. If, however, the Constitution strengthens the role of Parliament, but does not define the competences of the European Court of Justice, will the balance between institutions thus be upset? Decisions of the Court will be directly imposed on Union bodies and Member States without any right of appeal. The European Court of Justice will be free from any criticism.
Can we pretend that this will not happen? The draft Constitution contains no guarantees that the European Court of Justice will not appropriate some of the exclusive competences of the sovereign states, even contrary to national constitutions. Even if the majority in this Parliament changes after the elections and the composition of the Council changes, a double unanimity will be required in order to change policies. And I just wonder: will such a Union be capable of development if its direction is set by this Constitution? Our civilisation has developed from Christian roots. If the Constitution fails to acknowledge this historical fact, unrest will be introduced into the life of society. A new ideology will rise up under a mask of tolerance. Are we to build the European home on a distortion of history? Is it true that, without this Constitution, the concept of a united Europe will die? I think not. My voters have put their faith in me and I wish to proceed in Europe so that everyone, including the smallest, weakest and poorest, are accepted into it and can find their places in it. Ladies and gentlemen, in a democratic Europe, I ask that we respect the freedom of conscience when voting."@en1
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