DeRossa Slams "no" Campaign

dublin | eu | press release

Wednesday February 20, 2008 16:09

by John Murray - Independent Socialist

Pronsias Gets Angry

'Big Lie' of No campaign will be exposed before Referendum vote
Issued : Wednesday 20 February, 2008
Statement by Proinsias De Rossa MEP
Vice-President, European Socialist Group

Labour MEP Proinsias De Rossa has lashed out at the No to Lisbon campaign today issuing a press release:

This treaty is not an elegant document; there are many ifs, buts and maybes, because there is no other way for a diverse family of nations to share power.

However, despite the naysayers, it responds to our citizens' demands for more democracy and a greater capacity to do those things which nation-states cannot effectively do on our own:
- Peace keeping,
- Climate change
- Regulation of migration, financial and services markets.

Indeed at this time of global instability the EU is more important than ever for small member states like Ireland.

Today's vote will again show-up the bizarre alliance of market fundamentalists, ultra-left, and, ultra-right which opposes this treaty.

They have one thing in common: an urge to confine the people's democratic reach behind their national borders.

The multimillionaires, the Murdochs in Britain, and the Ganleys in Ireland, cynically manipulate national chauvinism to prevent Europeans reaching beyond their national borders to regulate business in the interests of society.

The others, Sinn Féin and their allies on the right don't trust the citizens' ability to create, an accountable transnational democracy.

Their stock in trade is fear: fear of our neighbours, of democratic parliaments, of governments and of globalisation.

They fail to explain how more rights for citizens and more powers for parliaments can be described by them as somehow less democracy and an attack on democracy

They masquerade as internationalists, but they object to neighbours helping each other in times of crisis or attack;

They refuse to countenance binding European laws to protect us and our neighbours from climate change, and the abuse of workers rights and of the market.

The weapon of those who peddle fear is 'the big lie', eloquently demonstrated today in this debate by Ms. Mary Lou McDonald and Ms Kathy Sinnott.

Oddly they turn truth on its head to claim that the elected representatives of more than 80% of the people, are about to crush democracy, are about to deny people ever having a say again in the construction of Europe.

Before polling day in Ireland all these 'big lies' will have been shown up for what they are, simply the nightmares of parties which have learned nothing from their history, and are hell-bent on condemning the people of Europe to repeating it.

I am confident that Ireland's decision on polling day will be to keep its place at the heart of Europe.

Note: The Lisbon Treaty Report was overwhelmingly carried by the European Parliament today with 525 votes in favour, 115 votes against and 29 abstentions. Sinn Féin, UKIP, and the far right all voted against

save preference

Comments (7 of 7)

De Rossa doesn't want a referendum

by indyjourno

Wed Feb 20, 2008 16:33

Why did De Rossa vote to not respect the results of this democratic referendum? http://www.indymedia.ie/article/86337

Irish Democracy

by Roger Cole - Peace & Neutrality Alliance

Wed Feb 20, 2008 17:35

pana at eircom dot net

17 Castle Street, Dalkey

01-2351512

So now we know. 499 MEPs refused to vote in favour of respecting the vote of the Irish people on the referendum on the renamed EU Constitution (the Lisbon treaty).
What are going to do if the Irish people vote no? Are they going to send in the EU Battle Groups just like the BU sent in the Black and Tans when in 1918 the Irish people voted to establish the Republic?
This vote by the 499 MEP's is an indication of the vicious hatred they have for anbody who believes in national democracy, whether they are Irish, French or Dutch.
To quote from a document written by better people than they could ever hope to be:
"We declare the right of the people of Ireland to the ownership of Ireland, and to the unfettered control of Irish destinies, to be sovereign and indefeasible."
90 years ago the Irish people voted for the Republic. Now in the face of these 499 European Imperialists we need to once more stand by the Republic by voting no.

Climate Change

by Open to persuasion

Wed Feb 20, 2008 19:33

Can anyone find me the relevant part of the Lisbon Treaty which deals with Climate Change? I've never seen it.

Climate Cahnge and de Rossa

by MichaelY - Campaign Against the Lisbon Treaty

Thu Feb 21, 2008 12:37

The Lisbon Treaty's contribution to the environment is to add six (yes S I X ) words to the previous wording as follows: "...promoting measures....to deal with.....environmentla problems a n d i n p a r t i c u l a r c o m b a t t i n g c l i m a t e c h a n g e!" (Art 174.1 TEFU). Call it symbolic, call it what you like, the Lisbon Treaty adds nothing to the hard task of combatting climate change.

As for de Rossa, along with some of his MEP colleagues, he went and voted a g a i n s t respecting the vote of the Irish people on the referendum on the renamed EU Constitution (the Lisbon Treaty). As Roger Cole says above, what are they going to do if our people vote NO - as I believe they will!! Will they invade us or as Brecht used to say, "elect a new people"......It is, of course, likely that we will have a rerun of the Nice debacle.....we don't like how you voted, now you must vote again!!

VOTE NO!!

six little words

by Oisín - ÓSF

Thu Feb 21, 2008 17:50

There are only 6 words on the environment in the Lisbon treaty, they add nothing.

There is 20 times as much on space exploration in this treaty.

De Rossa shows his contempt for democracy once more.

derossa - the wealthy socialist

by tom

Thu Feb 21, 2008 23:28

DeRossa masqueraded as a socialist (an ultra left one in his opinion) for about 20 years. In reality he was a middle class exploiter with a small shopkeeper mentality . This wealthy socialist had a sweat shop in red cow lane exploiting inner city women. He promised to donate all his compo from the Inde court case to charity and did, FF style, all into his own bank account. He and Bertie both swear by their brand of socialism and republicanism, me feinism. If Derossa supports this treaty you can be sure he is getting something out of it.

26 countries not allowed vote

by Alan

Thu Feb 28, 2008 11:33

If he says it's crazy to think the EU would get rid of true democracy, why are they currently not letting the people of 26 countries vote on it. Democracy is rule of the people. France and Netherlands already voted no. And if it's crazy to think the EU will not respect democracy why did he vote not to respect Ireland's wishes. If he really thinks we are going to vote yes, why would he vote against respecting that. He's not a servant of the people. He should be thrown out for his vote and propaganda.

Lisbon Treaty documentary being release on Google videos next Tue. End of Nations.

Number of comments per page

Upcoming Events

New Events

Other Press

User Preferences

Feeds

Blog Feeds

Anti-Empire

The Saker

Lockdown Skeptics

Voltaire Network

DeRossa Slams "no" Campaign

Comments (7 of 7)