IRELAND/CZECH REPUBLIC: Irish voters approve EU's Lisbon reform treaty, focus shifts to Czech Republic

Record ID: 328831

  • Title: IRELAND/CZECH REPUBLIC: Irish voters approve EU's Lisbon reform treaty, focus shifts to Czech Republic
  • Date: 4th October 2009
  • Summary: DEMONSTRATORS WITH FLAGS AND BANNERS READING 'WE SUPPORT OUR PRESIDENT' SPEAKER ON THE STAGE CROWD LISTENING
  • Embargoed: 19th October 2009 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Topics: International Relations,European Union
  • Reuters ID: LVA2GX86D27CC8UFW0NIIPA11S5X
  • Story Text: It is official. Ireland's voters have approved the European Union's Lisbon reform treaty in a referendum, according to Irish returning officer Maurice Coughlan who revealed the official count in Dublin Saturday (October 3).
    "Votes in favour of the proposal - one million, two hundred and fourteen thousand, two hundred and sixty-eight. Votes against the proposal, five hundred and ninety-four thousand, six hundred and six. The majority in favour of the proposal, six hundred and nineteen thousand, six hundred and sixty two. That concludes our proceedings, thank you," said Coughlan in front of a crowd of Yes supporters who immediately burst into celebrations.
    The treaty, which would streamline decision-making in the 27-country EU and give it more global clout, needs the approval of all member states to go into force.
    But after rejection in a referendum last year, Ireland has now put the treaty back on the road to ratification.
    Jubilant young Yes campaigners gathered outside Dublin's count centre to celebrate the result.
    "We've chosen clearly a European future and framework for Ireland. We've delivered for Ireland. We've delivered for Europe, a people's Europe, delivered by the Irish people. We're very proud," said Pat Cox, former European Parliament president, and a leading campaigner in favour of the Lisbon treaty.
    Supporters of both sides in the often acrimonious Irish debate over Lisbon conceded the dire state of Ireland's economy had probably proved to be the decisive factor, despite the unpopularity of the government.
    "People voted No and things got worse. I think people just realised, vote Yes, stay with Europe, and hopefully we'll keep going on the road to recovery," said Stephen Dolan, a backer of the treaty.
    One Dubliner who had voted No in the first referendum, and was angry to have been asked to vote again, said he was not surprised by the result this time.
    "Things are pretty bad here in the economy, certainly where I work. And I know that they're having problems with bills and debt and all the rest of it. I think people believed that if we voted against the Lisbon Treaty things would get worse," said Byrne, who works in the print industry.
    The Lisbon treaty must still be approved by Poland and the Czech Republic to come into effect.
    Several hundreds of the Lisbon Treaty opponents from several different political parties and movements demonstrated in Prague on Saturday (October 3). Czech President Vaclav Klaus, who has yet to sign off on the treaty, spoke to the crowd near Prague castle.
    "I feel about it (Irish referendum results) the same way you are. As a president I may express it in other words, but the meaning is the same," he said.
    Both houses of the Czech parliament have approved the treaty but a group of pro-Klaus lawmakers challenged it at the Constitutional Court on Tuesday, halting the process for weeks at least. The court is widely expected to dismiss the challenge.
    "We all know that if it (the referendum) would finish the opposite way, there would be a third, fourth, fifth. 59th referendum, until it would finally finish the only right way. I think you are like me and we feel that is wrong. So that it shouldn't be done in the world and Europe like this," said Klaus.
    The Czechs will come under pressure from other EU countries to ratify the document fast to allow the EU to start operating under the new rules from the beginning of 2010, and appoint a new executive, the European Commission, to replace the current team whose term expires at the end of this month.
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