24/06/2008

Anti Lisbon Group Plans Rough Welcome For Sarkozy

Plans to stage a series of protests against a visit by French President Nicolas Sarkozy have emerged.

An anti-Lisbon Treaty group, People Before Profit Alliance (PBPA) are to make their voices heard as they claim Mr Sarkozy is behind the idea of holding a second referendum on the Lisbon deal.

The alliance membership believes comments at the weekend by Axel Poniatowski, French Assembly Member and a spokesman for Mr Sarkozy, amount to pressure by the French government to force a second referendum.

They will protest when Mr Sarkozy visits Ireland on July 11th to discuss "a way forward" for the Irish Government after the recent 'No' vote, and before the next EU summit in October.

A spokesman for the PBPA said: "If Brian Cowen truly respected the Irish 'No' vote, he would have told the European Council that a second referendum on the same Treaty was unacceptable and that ratification should stop. He was morally and legally entitled to do so."

However, many European leaders have already ruled out a renegotiation of the Treaty for Ireland, offering instead written assurances on the protection Ireland’s abortion, and corporation tax policies.

This means that without another vote, Ireland could be forced out of the European Union altogether.

(DW)

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