I posted the Farage video yesterday, but it was less than a minute long. I said more please not actually expecting this, but this version has become available today with exactly that...
Enjoy!
H/T: Witterings.
Showing posts with label EU Parliament. Show all posts
Showing posts with label EU Parliament. Show all posts
Thursday, February 25, 2010
Wednesday, February 24, 2010
Tuesday, October 20, 2009
Thursday, July 16, 2009
Nigel Farage On Vaclav Klaus
Forget Blair, the UK nomination should be for Mr Farage. He is not everybody's cup of tea but I would certainly feel the UK's needs would be put before that of the EU.
Now that would be interesting, I wonder who the UK would select if a nationwide poll was held? It definitely would not be a Labour Candidate that much is sure.
Here is Mr Farage's latest speech in the EU Parliament, which certainly got to Mr Barosso as is seen at the end. I credit England Expects where I just watched this.
Now that would be interesting, I wonder who the UK would select if a nationwide poll was held? It definitely would not be a Labour Candidate that much is sure.
Here is Mr Farage's latest speech in the EU Parliament, which certainly got to Mr Barosso as is seen at the end. I credit England Expects where I just watched this.
Tuesday, May 26, 2009
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
Letter To A Tory - Update 1
Just a quick update on my previous post, Letter to a Tory (seen here). I did, as mentioned in the comments of the original email a copy to David Cameron to see if he would like to reply; I have not heard back yet. I would think given what has been on Mr Cameron's plate of late it is not unreasonable that I wait until next week before expecting a reply. If and when I do, I will share.
However, I have just seen Daniel Hannan post, seems the Conservatives in the EU Parliament have served notice and are leaving the EPP in June. This was confirmed in a meeting between William Hague and Joseph Daul today (EPP Leader). Daniel's post can be read, here.
However, I have just seen Daniel Hannan post, seems the Conservatives in the EU Parliament have served notice and are leaving the EPP in June. This was confirmed in a meeting between William Hague and Joseph Daul today (EPP Leader). Daniel's post can be read, here.
Saturday, February 21, 2009
Thursday, February 19, 2009
Klaus Video, The Jeers, The Walk Out
Here is the video from the EU Parliament today. It is in Czech language, but hopefully there will be an English Language version available soon.
The key bits:
4:40 - Some boo's
5:18 - MEP's jeer President Klaus
5:50 - Lots of Jeering
6:57 - Some claps, some jeers
7:37 - more Jeers, camera reveals empty seats
7:51 - MEPs visually walking out en masse
This second video shows something else that was revealed today. Independent think tanks have been advising on how much of our laws are actually passed down from the EU. These numbers are usually in the region of 60-90% depending on the study. This, of course is always hotly denied, The Major government made denials, both Blair & Brown have rubbished reports too. Labour MEPs claim it is around 10%.
This video, in an uncharacteristic slip from Hans-Gert Potterings reveals that the EU Parliament puts the number at 75%.
So, today we have again seen that the EU not only has contempt for you and me, they have contempt for anybody daring to voice an opinion in favour of democratic principles such as the need for government to have an opposition. President Klaus and many in the Czech Republic lived many years under the yolk of communist rule. People who have lived in oppression value their freedoms, they bear the scars of totalitarianism in their hearts. It seems they are more willing to speak out as well.
Such a speech should serve as a reminder to those who have power of the costs and responsibilities that that power yields, especially when misused.
The EU though is set up, as Peter Mandleson would describe in the post-democratic form. Power and decision making is not truly linked to the will of the people. Power emanates from the centre. There is no effective checks & balances. There is no opposition voice, dissenting opinions are not allowed.
This is not Democracy!
If 75% of our laws, and all of our courts rulings are subject to their decisions, Britain can no longer describe itself as a democratic nation.
Don't bother writing to your MP, there isn't a damn thing they can do about it.
Update: 22:14. Full English Text of President Klaus's speech, here. Hat Tip, Bloggers for UKIP
The key bits:
4:40 - Some boo's
5:18 - MEP's jeer President Klaus
5:50 - Lots of Jeering
6:57 - Some claps, some jeers
7:37 - more Jeers, camera reveals empty seats
7:51 - MEPs visually walking out en masse
This second video shows something else that was revealed today. Independent think tanks have been advising on how much of our laws are actually passed down from the EU. These numbers are usually in the region of 60-90% depending on the study. This, of course is always hotly denied, The Major government made denials, both Blair & Brown have rubbished reports too. Labour MEPs claim it is around 10%.
This video, in an uncharacteristic slip from Hans-Gert Potterings reveals that the EU Parliament puts the number at 75%.
So, today we have again seen that the EU not only has contempt for you and me, they have contempt for anybody daring to voice an opinion in favour of democratic principles such as the need for government to have an opposition. President Klaus and many in the Czech Republic lived many years under the yolk of communist rule. People who have lived in oppression value their freedoms, they bear the scars of totalitarianism in their hearts. It seems they are more willing to speak out as well.
Such a speech should serve as a reminder to those who have power of the costs and responsibilities that that power yields, especially when misused.
The EU though is set up, as Peter Mandleson would describe in the post-democratic form. Power and decision making is not truly linked to the will of the people. Power emanates from the centre. There is no effective checks & balances. There is no opposition voice, dissenting opinions are not allowed.
This is not Democracy!
If 75% of our laws, and all of our courts rulings are subject to their decisions, Britain can no longer describe itself as a democratic nation.
Don't bother writing to your MP, there isn't a damn thing they can do about it.
Update: 22:14. Full English Text of President Klaus's speech, here. Hat Tip, Bloggers for UKIP
Klaus Video
I just checked You Tube to see if Presidents Klaus speech was on there, hoping to be able to stream it to here. The speech is on there, but it is in Czech and cuts out before the walk out. I will check back as hopefully this will get posted at some point as this needs to be widely broadcast.
I did however find this video from Nigel Farage on what happened today.
I did however find this video from Nigel Farage on what happened today.
Debate In Europe
I have just seen this over on the DT from Bruno Waterfield.
Today President Vaclav Klaus has given a speech to the EU Parliament. In his speech he has asked for debate on the idea of European Integration. Seeing as he is the President of the Czech Republic, whose nation holds the rotating EU Presidency this sounds like a normal, right thinking kind of speech.
Nope, the EU Parliament decided, in the collective and infinite wisdom to Boo the Czech President. That's right, jeered him.
Bruno quotes Avril Doyle MEP as stating that debate "is a recipe for chaos".
This is not exactly the first time President Klaus has received a less than warm welcome from the EU Parliament.
We have seemingly passed the point now where MEPs are even worried about masking how undemocratic the whole EU project is. How can such actions be defended?
We have elections coming up for MEP's this year and there are a lot of people who will still vote for MEPs that want more of the EU. Excluding Daniel Hannan and Roger Helmer I am struggling to think of any British MEPs that are against more integration into the EU. If the Conservatives are not out the the EPP-ED by the time of the Euro Elections they will not get any of my STV votes, UKIP will.
Today President Vaclav Klaus has given a speech to the EU Parliament. In his speech he has asked for debate on the idea of European Integration. Seeing as he is the President of the Czech Republic, whose nation holds the rotating EU Presidency this sounds like a normal, right thinking kind of speech.
Nope, the EU Parliament decided, in the collective and infinite wisdom to Boo the Czech President. That's right, jeered him.
Bruno quotes Avril Doyle MEP as stating that debate "is a recipe for chaos".
This is not exactly the first time President Klaus has received a less than warm welcome from the EU Parliament.
We have seemingly passed the point now where MEPs are even worried about masking how undemocratic the whole EU project is. How can such actions be defended?
We have elections coming up for MEP's this year and there are a lot of people who will still vote for MEPs that want more of the EU. Excluding Daniel Hannan and Roger Helmer I am struggling to think of any British MEPs that are against more integration into the EU. If the Conservatives are not out the the EPP-ED by the time of the Euro Elections they will not get any of my STV votes, UKIP will.
Monday, January 12, 2009
Can Britain Leave the EU (2) ?
The second part of MEP Rupert Matthews analysis is here.
It is another interesting piece. I certainly did not get the impression from the Lisbon debates that The Constitutional Treaty allowed for the EU's High Representative for Foreign Affairs to also head up The European Defence Agency, and thus have right of initiative to propose EU-led military operations. More worryingly the power for the EU to deploy EU troops in ANY EU country without the approval of the national government.
Please read the whole article, as it is yet another eye opener.
There is not a whole lot remaining that the Nation States of the EU can decide upon, independently. The above provisions, have been ushered through as a part of Lisbon under the guise of being a revising treaty of previous EU treaties. One day the people of the EU are going to wake up and rise up against the EU. The EU no longer needs to worry. From this year it will control our armed forces, our nuclear arsenals, our seat on the UN, they have the capacity NOW to control any aspect of their lives that they chose, soon they will have the muscle to enforce their laws.
2009 is THE LAST CHANCE for people of the UK to make a peaceful yet forceful statement to the politicians of the UK. The time for real consultation of the electorate has been and gone. We need to start demanding that more is said and written about the EU. If you find the contents of the Lisbon Treaty unacceptable, then you (like I will, again) need to write to your MP and MEP to register your disapproval. By the combined voracity of our arguments, we CAN force the UKs absorption into the superstate to the top of the political agenda; where the issue belongs.
There will be a General Election in 2009 or 2010. This is the Election where meaningful changes to our relationship can be made, before that relationship finally and irrevocably tips into that of absorbed region.
It is another interesting piece. I certainly did not get the impression from the Lisbon debates that The Constitutional Treaty allowed for the EU's High Representative for Foreign Affairs to also head up The European Defence Agency, and thus have right of initiative to propose EU-led military operations. More worryingly the power for the EU to deploy EU troops in ANY EU country without the approval of the national government.
Please read the whole article, as it is yet another eye opener.
There is not a whole lot remaining that the Nation States of the EU can decide upon, independently. The above provisions, have been ushered through as a part of Lisbon under the guise of being a revising treaty of previous EU treaties. One day the people of the EU are going to wake up and rise up against the EU. The EU no longer needs to worry. From this year it will control our armed forces, our nuclear arsenals, our seat on the UN, they have the capacity NOW to control any aspect of their lives that they chose, soon they will have the muscle to enforce their laws.
2009 is THE LAST CHANCE for people of the UK to make a peaceful yet forceful statement to the politicians of the UK. The time for real consultation of the electorate has been and gone. We need to start demanding that more is said and written about the EU. If you find the contents of the Lisbon Treaty unacceptable, then you (like I will, again) need to write to your MP and MEP to register your disapproval. By the combined voracity of our arguments, we CAN force the UKs absorption into the superstate to the top of the political agenda; where the issue belongs.
There will be a General Election in 2009 or 2010. This is the Election where meaningful changes to our relationship can be made, before that relationship finally and irrevocably tips into that of absorbed region.
Wednesday, December 17, 2008
Working Time Directive
I wasn't intending to post right now as I am on a short lunch, but just seen this about the EU Parliament voting 421 to 273 to scrap the UK's opt-out on the working time directive on Bruno Waterfields Blog. Labour MEP's from the UK have joined with socialist MEPs across the EU to bring this into effect from 2011.
Sometimes in conversation with people they ask why I don't like the EU. As a young man I actually quite liked the idea of Europe coming together to work on issues and drive up living standards. I naively perceived the EU as a free-trade area and a zone of political co-operation.
This is of course in stark contrast from the truth. The UK may have MEPs in the EU parliament, but if that parliament does not conform to democratic principles, and is loaded with Euro-Socialists the UK's best interests are not, and can never be served. Telling the people of Europe that they can only work for a set number of hours per week at any time is a restriction on free-choice, it protects no-one that existing legislation does not; and even if it did it should fall to the national legislative to look at those circumstances and tailor the law to suit the national economy. The fact that this will likely take effect in the middle of the biggest European Recession for over 60 years is shocking and frankly criminally and spitefully ideological.
When Tony Blair came returned home with his red-lines intact from negotiations on the various versions of the constitutional treaty he assured the UK that that was that. The EU would never have control on National Security and or Borders, we already know that is not true, and given the motion in the EU parliament today it is again clear that the EU plan is to irreversibly tie all member nations in with promises and assurances and then steam-roller over those assurances. I hope the people of Ireland have a good look at what happened today, for they are once again the guardians of the freedoms of the people in the UK.
If David Cameron wants to win the next election he can do so today. All he needs to do is to pledge a referendum on the Lisbon Treaty upon his election. If the Conservatives are not in power before that date, the pledge should be for a referendum on the UK's continued involvement in the EU. I will pledge Cameron my vote today, if he will give that Referendum pledge today.
Sometimes in conversation with people they ask why I don't like the EU. As a young man I actually quite liked the idea of Europe coming together to work on issues and drive up living standards. I naively perceived the EU as a free-trade area and a zone of political co-operation.
This is of course in stark contrast from the truth. The UK may have MEPs in the EU parliament, but if that parliament does not conform to democratic principles, and is loaded with Euro-Socialists the UK's best interests are not, and can never be served. Telling the people of Europe that they can only work for a set number of hours per week at any time is a restriction on free-choice, it protects no-one that existing legislation does not; and even if it did it should fall to the national legislative to look at those circumstances and tailor the law to suit the national economy. The fact that this will likely take effect in the middle of the biggest European Recession for over 60 years is shocking and frankly criminally and spitefully ideological.
When Tony Blair came returned home with his red-lines intact from negotiations on the various versions of the constitutional treaty he assured the UK that that was that. The EU would never have control on National Security and or Borders, we already know that is not true, and given the motion in the EU parliament today it is again clear that the EU plan is to irreversibly tie all member nations in with promises and assurances and then steam-roller over those assurances. I hope the people of Ireland have a good look at what happened today, for they are once again the guardians of the freedoms of the people in the UK.
If David Cameron wants to win the next election he can do so today. All he needs to do is to pledge a referendum on the Lisbon Treaty upon his election. If the Conservatives are not in power before that date, the pledge should be for a referendum on the UK's continued involvement in the EU. I will pledge Cameron my vote today, if he will give that Referendum pledge today.
Sunday, December 14, 2008
President Klaus and the Lisbon Constitutional Treaty
I have to say that I was not surprised to read of treatment received by President Klaus of the Czech Republic in the EU Parliament. Christopher Booker today asks his readers to imagine the EU demanding the Queen fly the Ring of Stars flag next to the Royal Standard.
I first saw this story regarding the EU's chiding of President Klaus on Bruno Waterfield's blog on the DT.
So what is President Klaus's great crime? It was he, as Prime Minister that sought to take the Czech Republic into the EU in the Post Soviet era. From what I can tell, President Klaus's fault is that he will not toe the line and help roll in the EU Superstate across continental Europe.
Back in June, right after the Irish had voted NO to the Lisbon Treaty, a regular blog respondent on the DT's blog, called TBW, posted the Email address of Mirek Topolánek, Prime Minister of the Czech Republic and Jiri Weigl, Chancellor of the Office of President Vaclav Klaus on a comment thread where Daniel Hannan was reminding us that There is nothing nice about Europhiles. A number of people, including myself, took up TBW's request that we all email to offer our support to the leadership and people of the Czech Republic.
So, on a quite busy work day I cleared a few moments and typed out some thoughts and feelings and clicked send. Of course, I felt that would be the end of it; after all I can only imagine how many emails these offices must receive in a normal day, let alone during appeals for people to email going out on the internet.
Here is the email I sent...
Mr President,
Prime Minister,
You must be receiving increasing email traffic today and over the weekend, I am sure that many people have come to realise that the fate of democracy is in your hands this week. I will try to keep this communication short, which is difficult when addressing a matter of such great concern.
I write to you as a subject of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, I assume from next year I will no longer be considered as such, but I will be a citizen of Europe . This is not a prospect I look forward to. I am not a person of influence or wealth, but my birth in the UK allowed me to be born to a free society where I received education and a healthy upbringing. I am today writing to you about my concern.
Last week the Irish electorate said No to the Lisbon Treaty, you are aware of course that they are the only electorate to be consulted on this matter. Their voice should not be ignored.
The course of the European EU project is about to reach a very critical juncture where by it must be decided whom has the control and the real power of the EU. At the moment, it is not the citizens of Europe, and you will be familiar that the participating Nation-States are having their influence eroded too.
Sirs, I put it to you that you are in a uniquely historic position. The Constitutional Treaty must not be allowed to pass in its current form. It is a tool for the destruction of the individual nation states, and a symbol of new European Imperialism.
Speaking as someone from the UK, the EU is unpopular here, and this Constitutional Treaty even more so. Yet, we have not been consulted by popular vote whether we as a nation wish to surrender yet more control to the EU state. In fact, outside of Ireland there has been no popular consultation.
Sirs, this is not a Constitution that enshrines freedom on its citizens like the US model. Let me be so bold as to remind you of how the US decided to frame such a mandate, its opening line being:
“We the people of the United States , in order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic tranquillity, provide for a common defense, and secure the Blessing of Liberty to ourselves and posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America .”
Having reviewed the EU Treaty, I see no wish to “secure the Blessing of Liberty” upon the Citizens of the EU, the form in which it takes is that which suits lawyers and Bureaucrats enslave a common purpose and agenda upon all citizens of the EU.
It is perhaps ironic that the governments of the Central and Eastern European States that have so recently thrown of the yolk of Communist Rule from the East may be able to secure such essential freedoms for the people of the West now. I implore that you do not lead us into the same threat, but that is what this Constitutional treaty represents. The EU is not freedom enshrined it will inevitably lead to freedoms and people enslaved.
Sirs, you need no lectures from me on freedom and democracy. However, I implore you to consider the individual liberties your citizens will fore go and reduced control of The Czech Republic will have within the EU.
This treaty has no legitimate mandate, the Irish have voted no, they should not be punished and “left behind” the EU must respect the wishes of its voters, to not do so shows contempt upon the people they claim to represent. To seek to press on will undermine and authority the EU has and in the long run will provide a platform for dissent and rebellion within Continental Europe, that could bring about a future conflict.
Europe needs it leaders to speak out about individual Liberty and Freedom, not centralise and surrender it hard fought sovereignty.
Should M. Sarkosy or Ms Merkel, or Mr Brown come to you and insist that this Treaty moves forward, please say no. Please point out that such control over the citizens of the EU should have no ambiguity on its legitimacy. If they insist that this will damage Europe , they are trying to coerce your influence through mis-truth and suggestion. Europe will be stronger when its people are freer. M. Sarkosys people also said “non” in 2005 and Mr Brown and Ms Merkel were to scared to put this question to their own electorate.
Finally, Sirs, I would also beg of you that for this or any resembling treaty in the future, you consider putting this to referenda of your own people and allowing for open, public debate.
I thank you for taking the time to read this.
Regards
--
So I was of course delightfully surprised and humbled when I received a reply from Jiri Brodsky one day later.
Dear Daniel
Thank you for your kind letter addressed to President Klaus. President Klaus read your letter personally and asked me to reply to you.
I agree with you fully that the voice of the Irish electorate should not be ignored. The European Union must not be based on ignoring its own democratic principles. The Lisbon Treaty was democratically and convincingly rejected by Ireland, so it cannot come into force. Any attempt to neglect this fact and push the Treaty through by political pressure and manipulation is disastrous for the future of the integration process. I hope that people in Ireland, Great Britain and in other countries across the EU will not allow for that. Therefore I consider your voice so important. I can assure you that President Klaus’s response is resolute and it is the following: the ratification of the Lisbon Treaty cannot be continued and the will of the Irish electorate must be respected.
President Klaus will continue to speak about individual liberty and freedom, and also about the Czech historical experience with different kinds of forced integration. Seeing some reactions of the EU member states’ leaders gathering at the European Council summit, and suggesting that the Irish vote needs to be “repaired”, I am tempted to use the same adjective before the word “integration” today.
Below, I attach the translation of President Klaus’s interview with Lidove noviny which I hope will be of interest to you.
With all best wishes
Jiri Brodsky
--
What do you think about the Irish NO?
The whole of Europe should thank the Irish people for slowing down the current erroneous processes towards more unification, towards the suppression of nation states, towards a ‘Europe of regions’, and towards greater centralization from above, which the Lisbon Treaty embodied. The referendum was a perfect example of what ordinary people think about this development – at odds with the EU-supporting politicians whose motivation lies elsewhere. I thanked a few Irish personally.
What does the Irish NO mean for the fate of the Lisbon Treaty in your view? What impact will it have on the EU as a whole?
I cannot imagine any development other than recognition of the fact that this is not the way to go. Let’s seek a European model different from a supranational state with its centre in Brussels. Let’s go back to a community of friendly, effectively cooperating states. Let’s keep most of the competencies on the level of states. We should let people living on the European continent be Czechs, Poles, Italians, Danes, and not make Europeans of them. That is a flawed project. The difference between a Czech, a Pole, an Italian and a Dane (as random examples) and a European is akin to the difference between Czech, Polish, Danish languages and Esperanto. ‘Europeanness’ is Esperanto: an artificial, dead language.
What follows from the Irish NO for the Czech Republic? Should we continue preparing for ratification under these circumstances, or is it no longer necessary? The British, for instance, have declared that they are going to continue the ratification process regardless of the results in Ireland...
Ratification cannot be continued, the Treaty can no longer enter into force. To continue as though nothing has happened would be pure hypocrisy. This would be more significant news about the ‘state of the Union’ than the Irish NO. The ratification of the Lisbon Treaty in the Czech Republic ended last Friday. To pretend something else is undignified – at least if we presume to live in a world where one plus one equals two. I don’t think the British themselves declared anything; it was the Labour Prime Minister Gordon Brown who made a declaration. British democracy is much more complex.
Does the Irish NO change your attitude towards the possibility of holding a referendum on the Lisbon Treaty in the Czech Republic? And if so, how?
There is now no need to hold a referendum on the Lisbon Treaty in our country as there is nothing to vote on. The only possible question would be: ‘Do you, the Czechs, want the Irish to vote again and differently?’ It is not about us today.
Should the European Union attempt to create an entirely new document in the wake of the Irish NO, instead of dusting the Treaty off or revising it?A document is only ever the last step. We need a new perception of the European integration process. It is necessary to explicitly refuse the post-Maastricht development towards an ever closer union. The resulting document must be written on a different basis and by different people.
It cannot be written by a German politician who thinks in federalist terms and has been in the European Parliament for the past 30 years. Nor can it be written by a French politician for whom ‘Europeanisation’ is a way to increase the greatness and the importance of France, or by a representative of a country which wants to find solutions to some of its historical traumas ‘via Europe’.
What is needed is detached consideration about the correct administration of ‘public goods’ – which of them belong at the level of towns, regions and states and which at the level of the continent. And above all, which of them do not belong anywhere, because the issue is not public but ‘private good’, which must remain subject to the decision-making of free individuals.
What impact will the Irish decision have on the Czech EU Presidency in 2009?We will have a few more competences than we would have had had the Lisbon Treaty been in force. The Treaty substantially weakened the states and therefore also the presidency of any one of them. But let us not live in illusions. I know well that the entire concept of a rotating presidency is, to a certain extent, just playing at real democracy.
--
So President Klaus feels that the Irish vote must be respected and that the Lisbon Treaty cannot be ratified without their consent. Because of the Irish NO vote the Lisbon Treaty is in effect NULL and VOID; it cannot be brought into force without all member states ratifying it. Ireland has said NO, the Czech Republic has not ratified, yet, but then again neither has Germany. They need Irland to vote again for a yes vote.
But why the poor treatment in the EU Parliament?
The EU's Parliament does not like President Klaus because he has spoken out against "Europeanism" and "NGOism"
They do not like President Klaus, or Mr Professor, because he has received more than 50 Honourary Degrees since 1990, published over 20 books on various social, economic and political issues as well as publishing articles in the Libertarian free-market Cato Journal.
They do not like President Klaus because he promotes free-market principles.The do not like President Klaus because he does not subscribe to their doctrine on climate change. They presumably did not like that he has offered to publically debate the matter with Al Gore. An invitation that as I understand has still not been accepted.
So I ask you one question. If the EU Parliament does not like President Klaus. If they can find only contempt for a man of honour and history; what do YOU suppose their opinion is of ordinary people like you and me?
If you would like to also email President Klaus office to offer your support, then email Jiri Brodsky at Jiri.Brodsky@hrad.cz
I first saw this story regarding the EU's chiding of President Klaus on Bruno Waterfield's blog on the DT.
So what is President Klaus's great crime? It was he, as Prime Minister that sought to take the Czech Republic into the EU in the Post Soviet era. From what I can tell, President Klaus's fault is that he will not toe the line and help roll in the EU Superstate across continental Europe.
Back in June, right after the Irish had voted NO to the Lisbon Treaty, a regular blog respondent on the DT's blog, called TBW, posted the Email address of Mirek Topolánek, Prime Minister of the Czech Republic and Jiri Weigl, Chancellor of the Office of President Vaclav Klaus on a comment thread where Daniel Hannan was reminding us that There is nothing nice about Europhiles. A number of people, including myself, took up TBW's request that we all email to offer our support to the leadership and people of the Czech Republic.
So, on a quite busy work day I cleared a few moments and typed out some thoughts and feelings and clicked send. Of course, I felt that would be the end of it; after all I can only imagine how many emails these offices must receive in a normal day, let alone during appeals for people to email going out on the internet.
Here is the email I sent...
Mr President,
Prime Minister,
You must be receiving increasing email traffic today and over the weekend, I am sure that many people have come to realise that the fate of democracy is in your hands this week. I will try to keep this communication short, which is difficult when addressing a matter of such great concern.
I write to you as a subject of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, I assume from next year I will no longer be considered as such, but I will be a citizen of Europe . This is not a prospect I look forward to. I am not a person of influence or wealth, but my birth in the UK allowed me to be born to a free society where I received education and a healthy upbringing. I am today writing to you about my concern.
Last week the Irish electorate said No to the Lisbon Treaty, you are aware of course that they are the only electorate to be consulted on this matter. Their voice should not be ignored.
The course of the European EU project is about to reach a very critical juncture where by it must be decided whom has the control and the real power of the EU. At the moment, it is not the citizens of Europe, and you will be familiar that the participating Nation-States are having their influence eroded too.
Sirs, I put it to you that you are in a uniquely historic position. The Constitutional Treaty must not be allowed to pass in its current form. It is a tool for the destruction of the individual nation states, and a symbol of new European Imperialism.
Speaking as someone from the UK, the EU is unpopular here, and this Constitutional Treaty even more so. Yet, we have not been consulted by popular vote whether we as a nation wish to surrender yet more control to the EU state. In fact, outside of Ireland there has been no popular consultation.
Sirs, this is not a Constitution that enshrines freedom on its citizens like the US model. Let me be so bold as to remind you of how the US decided to frame such a mandate, its opening line being:
“We the people of the United States , in order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic tranquillity, provide for a common defense, and secure the Blessing of Liberty to ourselves and posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America .”
Having reviewed the EU Treaty, I see no wish to “secure the Blessing of Liberty” upon the Citizens of the EU, the form in which it takes is that which suits lawyers and Bureaucrats enslave a common purpose and agenda upon all citizens of the EU.
It is perhaps ironic that the governments of the Central and Eastern European States that have so recently thrown of the yolk of Communist Rule from the East may be able to secure such essential freedoms for the people of the West now. I implore that you do not lead us into the same threat, but that is what this Constitutional treaty represents. The EU is not freedom enshrined it will inevitably lead to freedoms and people enslaved.
Sirs, you need no lectures from me on freedom and democracy. However, I implore you to consider the individual liberties your citizens will fore go and reduced control of The Czech Republic will have within the EU.
This treaty has no legitimate mandate, the Irish have voted no, they should not be punished and “left behind” the EU must respect the wishes of its voters, to not do so shows contempt upon the people they claim to represent. To seek to press on will undermine and authority the EU has and in the long run will provide a platform for dissent and rebellion within Continental Europe, that could bring about a future conflict.
Europe needs it leaders to speak out about individual Liberty and Freedom, not centralise and surrender it hard fought sovereignty.
Should M. Sarkosy or Ms Merkel, or Mr Brown come to you and insist that this Treaty moves forward, please say no. Please point out that such control over the citizens of the EU should have no ambiguity on its legitimacy. If they insist that this will damage Europe , they are trying to coerce your influence through mis-truth and suggestion. Europe will be stronger when its people are freer. M. Sarkosys people also said “non” in 2005 and Mr Brown and Ms Merkel were to scared to put this question to their own electorate.
Finally, Sirs, I would also beg of you that for this or any resembling treaty in the future, you consider putting this to referenda of your own people and allowing for open, public debate.
I thank you for taking the time to read this.
Regards
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So I was of course delightfully surprised and humbled when I received a reply from Jiri Brodsky one day later.
Dear Daniel
Thank you for your kind letter addressed to President Klaus. President Klaus read your letter personally and asked me to reply to you.
I agree with you fully that the voice of the Irish electorate should not be ignored. The European Union must not be based on ignoring its own democratic principles. The Lisbon Treaty was democratically and convincingly rejected by Ireland, so it cannot come into force. Any attempt to neglect this fact and push the Treaty through by political pressure and manipulation is disastrous for the future of the integration process. I hope that people in Ireland, Great Britain and in other countries across the EU will not allow for that. Therefore I consider your voice so important. I can assure you that President Klaus’s response is resolute and it is the following: the ratification of the Lisbon Treaty cannot be continued and the will of the Irish electorate must be respected.
President Klaus will continue to speak about individual liberty and freedom, and also about the Czech historical experience with different kinds of forced integration. Seeing some reactions of the EU member states’ leaders gathering at the European Council summit, and suggesting that the Irish vote needs to be “repaired”, I am tempted to use the same adjective before the word “integration” today.
Below, I attach the translation of President Klaus’s interview with Lidove noviny which I hope will be of interest to you.
With all best wishes
Jiri Brodsky
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What do you think about the Irish NO?
The whole of Europe should thank the Irish people for slowing down the current erroneous processes towards more unification, towards the suppression of nation states, towards a ‘Europe of regions’, and towards greater centralization from above, which the Lisbon Treaty embodied. The referendum was a perfect example of what ordinary people think about this development – at odds with the EU-supporting politicians whose motivation lies elsewhere. I thanked a few Irish personally.
What does the Irish NO mean for the fate of the Lisbon Treaty in your view? What impact will it have on the EU as a whole?
I cannot imagine any development other than recognition of the fact that this is not the way to go. Let’s seek a European model different from a supranational state with its centre in Brussels. Let’s go back to a community of friendly, effectively cooperating states. Let’s keep most of the competencies on the level of states. We should let people living on the European continent be Czechs, Poles, Italians, Danes, and not make Europeans of them. That is a flawed project. The difference between a Czech, a Pole, an Italian and a Dane (as random examples) and a European is akin to the difference between Czech, Polish, Danish languages and Esperanto. ‘Europeanness’ is Esperanto: an artificial, dead language.
What follows from the Irish NO for the Czech Republic? Should we continue preparing for ratification under these circumstances, or is it no longer necessary? The British, for instance, have declared that they are going to continue the ratification process regardless of the results in Ireland...
Ratification cannot be continued, the Treaty can no longer enter into force. To continue as though nothing has happened would be pure hypocrisy. This would be more significant news about the ‘state of the Union’ than the Irish NO. The ratification of the Lisbon Treaty in the Czech Republic ended last Friday. To pretend something else is undignified – at least if we presume to live in a world where one plus one equals two. I don’t think the British themselves declared anything; it was the Labour Prime Minister Gordon Brown who made a declaration. British democracy is much more complex.
Does the Irish NO change your attitude towards the possibility of holding a referendum on the Lisbon Treaty in the Czech Republic? And if so, how?
There is now no need to hold a referendum on the Lisbon Treaty in our country as there is nothing to vote on. The only possible question would be: ‘Do you, the Czechs, want the Irish to vote again and differently?’ It is not about us today.
Should the European Union attempt to create an entirely new document in the wake of the Irish NO, instead of dusting the Treaty off or revising it?A document is only ever the last step. We need a new perception of the European integration process. It is necessary to explicitly refuse the post-Maastricht development towards an ever closer union. The resulting document must be written on a different basis and by different people.
It cannot be written by a German politician who thinks in federalist terms and has been in the European Parliament for the past 30 years. Nor can it be written by a French politician for whom ‘Europeanisation’ is a way to increase the greatness and the importance of France, or by a representative of a country which wants to find solutions to some of its historical traumas ‘via Europe’.
What is needed is detached consideration about the correct administration of ‘public goods’ – which of them belong at the level of towns, regions and states and which at the level of the continent. And above all, which of them do not belong anywhere, because the issue is not public but ‘private good’, which must remain subject to the decision-making of free individuals.
What impact will the Irish decision have on the Czech EU Presidency in 2009?We will have a few more competences than we would have had had the Lisbon Treaty been in force. The Treaty substantially weakened the states and therefore also the presidency of any one of them. But let us not live in illusions. I know well that the entire concept of a rotating presidency is, to a certain extent, just playing at real democracy.
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So President Klaus feels that the Irish vote must be respected and that the Lisbon Treaty cannot be ratified without their consent. Because of the Irish NO vote the Lisbon Treaty is in effect NULL and VOID; it cannot be brought into force without all member states ratifying it. Ireland has said NO, the Czech Republic has not ratified, yet, but then again neither has Germany. They need Irland to vote again for a yes vote.
But why the poor treatment in the EU Parliament?
The EU's Parliament does not like President Klaus because he has spoken out against "Europeanism" and "NGOism"
They do not like President Klaus, or Mr Professor, because he has received more than 50 Honourary Degrees since 1990, published over 20 books on various social, economic and political issues as well as publishing articles in the Libertarian free-market Cato Journal.
They do not like President Klaus because he promotes free-market principles.The do not like President Klaus because he does not subscribe to their doctrine on climate change. They presumably did not like that he has offered to publically debate the matter with Al Gore. An invitation that as I understand has still not been accepted.
So I ask you one question. If the EU Parliament does not like President Klaus. If they can find only contempt for a man of honour and history; what do YOU suppose their opinion is of ordinary people like you and me?
If you would like to also email President Klaus office to offer your support, then email Jiri Brodsky at Jiri.Brodsky@hrad.cz
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