Because the minute they know they have rejected it, that same minute they are considering when a second vote could be made:

BBC NEWS | Europe | EU vows to pursue Lisbon treaty

Irish Foreign Minister Micheal Martin has said it is “far too early” to seek a solution to the Irish rejection of a European Union reform treaty.

Speaking in Luxembourg, Mr Martin told reporters: “The people’s decision has to be respected and we have to chart a way through… It is far too early for proffering any solutions or proposals.

“There are no quick fix solutions.”

But it is now up to the Irish Taoiseach – or Prime Minister – Brian Cowen to find a way forward with the other EU leaders at their Brussels summit, says the BBC’s European affairs correspondent Oana Lungescu.

Leaders want to know what went wrong, what changes could be made to accommodate the disparate concerns of Irish voters and how soon a second vote may be possible, if at all, she says.

The most likely scenario, our correspondent suggests, is a declaration assuring the Irish that the treaty will not affect their policies on abortion, taxation and neutrality.

But one minister told the BBC that there may not be any concrete proposals until the next EU summit in October, by which time it would be clear how many other countries have ratified the treaty and on what basis Ireland could vote again, adds our correspondent.

As EU Referendum writes, “the game is far from over”:

Of particular interest is a move by the Tories in the Lords to put up a motion calling for the suspension of the ratification process – the main story in the paper – and one which has already attracted the opposition of the government. Thus does Riddell think that the ratification Bill will still get its third reading tomorrow but, he ventures, “the margin could be narrow”.

(…) The reaction of most EU governments to the decision of Irish voters to reject the Lisbon treaty has, says the paper, been extraordinary. There has been contempt – suggestions that the Irish people are fearful, uncomprehending and irrational; there has been denial.

Wolfgang Schäuble, the wonderful stage German is also cited. It is he that we featured on Sunday – abstracted from Deutsche Well – declaring that “a few million Irish cannot decide on behalf of 495 million Europeans”. At last, the paper has caught up, now railing against the “combination of arrogance and unreality” of European leaders who are busy briefing that nothing has changed and that the treaty sails on.”

(…) The theme that Ireland is somehow going to be cast into outer darkness, with the rest of the member states setting up a “two tier” Europe has somehow caught the imagination, and it is one that The Daily Telegraph also pursues – as do many of the other media outlets.

Ambrose Evans-Pritichard savages this idea on his clog, referring to the “bullying treatment of Ireland”, declaring attempts at exclusion as “not legal”. Any attempt to proceed without Irish compliance, he writes, is a Putsch.

FT:

“People are only now beginning to think about what the consequences are,” said Brigid Laffan, politics professor at University College Dublin. “There is a real danger we will now be grouped with the eurosceptic group of member states.”

Ireland has now rejected an EU treaty twice in seven years – the first time in 2001 with the Nice treaty, which paved the way for European Union expansion.

“There is definitely some regret creeping in now and some annoyance that the government didn’t explain it properly,” said a property developer. “It’s fine to say it was good for Ireland, but ministers totally misunderstood the level of detail that people wanted.

(…) Prof Laffan said the first consequence would be that Ireland found its diplomatic hand in Brussels much reduced, in areas such as the upcoming review of the Common Agricultural Policy.

Well, saying “No”, stating where the limits are, is not easy and, what is more, the people to what those statements are directed, normally “don’t understand” or just plainly “don’t want to understand”. It’s much more easy not to consider the errors the treaty has, not understanding the real reasons for the rejection and consider only “how marvellous the treaty is”. The Treaty is not a marvellous one: it continues to stablish a very undemocratic structure, is not clear enough about what EU aims and principles are, is soooo complicated and soooo long citizens are not going to read it (so they are not going to know what its implications are for them) and, above all, it does not have common sense on it, by stating what are the frontiers and the limits European Union has. Result? There are even EU FMs who do not know where the limits are clearly. Something which should have been done from the first time, using the principles to select how wide and how many countries it should comprehend.

It’s curious nonetheless, that they reject the Treaty because of the possible imposition of a common taxation. We can’t forget that the first and more important role of a Parliament is the stablishment of a common taxation system for all citizens, whatever their particular circumstances are, as the principle of equality requires. If all Europeans want to be equal, that is the first step towards it: a common tax law or at least, a common regulation of taxes, leaving each of the European states the possibility of raising or lowering the tax between some margins.

There are two problems though:

a) I don’t think they actually want to state a common taxation system (something which could simplify enormously the tax declarations alongside the EU), they just want to make more obscure regulations, just as as the Treaty is. For what I know, that is. As a Law is more clearly written, its principles and effects are directly seen. If you put up a very complicated system with huge regulations, it’s really difficult for anyone to consider all the effects of a law. In Spain this is even worse, as we have the central Tax Law system and then 17 others, each for each Autonomous Community.

b) We are in a climate of economic recession. Normally those periods are difficult to introduce great changes upon a Law system, much more into a Tax Law system, as the effects are going to be directly felt by the citizens.

I believe Ireland is going to pay for this: Britain has defended Irish position against France and Germany who wanted to leave Ireland out of EU decision-making. Just wait and see.

For a neat summary of what has happened, I’m copying this paragraph from Eursoc’s post on the subject:

First off comes the cry that 3 million registered voters in Ireland shouldn’t be able to derail a treaty designed to bring the blessings of an integrated Europe to 490 million, a theme supported by the BBC but neatly snipped by Guido, who demonstrates that as the other 26 nations are ratifying by parliamentary vote, it’s more like around 9,000 MPs deciding on the future of Europe for 490 million.

Oh, and read Guido’s report of Irish anti-EU politician Declan speech in Westminster. What an ironic man this Guido.

Como el resto de los países no lo van a someter a referéndum, la situación puede describirse mejor como que “9000 parlamentarios van a decidir la suerte de 490 millones de personas”. Milagros de la democracia representativa…

“Porque servirá a la acción conjunta musulmana”. ¿A que es maravilloso?

Jihad Watch: “There is no doubt that the independence of Kosovo will be an asset to the Muslim world and further enhance the joint Islamic action”

With regard to the declaration of independence by Kosovo yesterday, Secretary General of the Organization of the Islamic Conference Prof. Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu made the following remark today (18 February 2008) in Dakar at the opening of the OIC Senior Officials Meeting preparatory to the forthcoming OIC Summit to be held there on 13-14 March 2008: “…a very important event took place yesterday. Kosovo has finally declared its independence after a long and determined struggle by its people.

As we rejoice this happy result, we declare our solidarity with and support to our brothers and sisters there. The Islamic Umma wishes them success in their new battle awaiting them which is the building of a strong and prosperous a state capable of satisfying of its people. There is no doubt that the independence of Kosovo will be an asset to the Muslim world and further enhance the joint Islamic action.”

The important thing is who is this man, Mr. Isanoglu. He is the same man who interested the OIC about the Danish cartoons. One of the things he said was that “it is as irresponsible to publish the cartoons as it is the burning of the Danish embassy in Beirut“. When he was accused of putting the wheel in motion to cause the outburst of violence, he answered very bluntly that no, that he collaborated with peace (¿!). Hmm, affable this Turkish chap, ehhh?

More in Kosovo joins the UMMA @ IBA.

Hmm, it is unhappily very clear the stupid decision both US and many Western countries have done when recognising Kosovo. Happily, Spanish Government has NOT given its recognition to the new State… even if they are so stupid normally. And the reasons they have given to reject it (Moratinos that stupid intelligent Spanish FM has compared Kosovo with Iraq) are wrong.

It’s also interesting that Isanoglu has qualified this as an asset to the Muslim world. If it enters in EU, it is going to be the first nest of authentic Jihadi fighters inside Europe, with free movement all over it.

Then people are shocked about the Serbs using violence against frontier checkpoints. They know perfectly well US and Europe have again messed up all over. And they know they have again the danger just in the backyard.

An interesting reflection: Bush was fighting who exactly in the GWOT? This decision is utterly stupid and it does not serve really well to the final end of the GWOT: the victory over Islamic terrorism.

Look out for the keffijah on the right: Young ethnic Albanians (that is, ehem… Muslims) celebrate Kosovo’s independence:

Other related links:
Clinton and his gift to the world: Kosovo jihadists @ Mosquewatch.
Kosovo’s domino effect @ China Digital Times. China y el Tibet…
Europe’s new jihadist statelet? @ EuropeNews.
In Kosovo, Serbs reject ethnic Albanian independence @ IHT. The key word here is ethnic.
Beware Cuckoos in the Nest @ Common Sense against Islam. “During the fascist occupation of Kosovo by Albanians, until August 1941 alone, over 10,000 Serbs were killed and between 80,000 and 100,000 Serbs were expelled, while roughly the same number of Albanians from Albania were brought to settle in these Serbian lands. Islam is now the predominant religion, professed by most of the majority ethnic Albanian population, the Bosniak, Gorani, and Turkish communities, and some of the Roma/Ashkali/Egyptian community, although religion is not a significant factor in public life“.
Kosovo: first they came for the Jews? @ Israel Matzav. “Judging from the reaction of Kosovo’s small Jewish community to the declaration, one has to wonder whether Bush has become a Democrat. It seems that Wahabiism is there already and who knows whether madrassas will replace schools very soon. The Jews seem to be scared for their future.
“There was not anti-Semitism in the past, but with the Saudi charities here now we are seeing a Wahabi influence for the first time,” Demiri said, referring to the fundamentalist Islamic ideology Saudi Arabian clerics have tried to export, with little success, in the Balkans. “I think the newspapers these days are not portraying Jews in such a positive light.”. And then some people would say that Bush is a Zionist… Yeah, baby, tell me another joke…
More proofs about European idiocy: Gordon Brown used the word Balkanization to critizise the Scottish would-be independence. Now he is fully supporting Kosovo’s… Hmm, yeah, how intelligent…
Kosova @ Jules Crittenden: He adds something pretty interesting: Serbs were actually outnumbered since the Ottoman empire conquered that territory two centuries ago and Christians converted to Islam to have the inherent benefits to it. The basis of all the argument: Albanians are pro-US. Remember that both Saddam and Osama bin Laden were in the past… Those “convenient” allies…

And now Ethnic Albanians are asking to fly only the Albanian flag in Macedonia…
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En relación con la declaración de independencia de Kosovo ayer, el Secretario General de la Organización de la Conferencia Islámica, el Profesor Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu hizo el siguiente comentario hoy (18 de febrero de 2008) en Dakar en la apertura de la Reunión para Altos Cargos de la OIC de preparación de la Próxima Reunión de la OIC que tendrá lugar en los días 13 y 14 de marzo de 2008: “un importante evento tuvo lugar ayer. Kosovo finalmente declaró su independencia después de una lucha larga y decidida de su gente.

Mientras nos regocijamos de este feliz resultado, declaramos nuestra slidaridad y apoyo a nuestros hermanos y hermanas allí. La Umma Islámica les desea éxitos en su nueva batalla que les espera que es la construcción de un estado fuerte y poderoso capaz de satisfacer a su gente. No hay duda de que la independencia de Kosovo es un as en la manga para el mundo musulmán y favorecerá aún más la acción islámica unida.”

Este julay turco, Isanoglu, es el mismo que informó a la OIC de las caricaturas de Mahoma, produciendo una gravísima explosión de violencia en todo el mundo. Por cierto, el niega toda implicación y dice que él trabajó por la paz…

Creo que está muy clara la asombrosa metedura de pata de todos los occidentales, aunque por una vez y sin que sirva de precedente, parece que Zapatero ha entendido la que se nos viene encima… Por supuesto, basándose en unas razones absolutamente peregrinas… lo que desde luego no sorprende

Interesante lo de que es un “as en la manga”… muy interesante que haya escogido esa expresión en concreto…

Otros links relacionados:
Conflicto diplomático en la ONU por la declaración de independencia de Kosovo @ LD.
Cossiga apoya la independencia de Cataluña y del País Vasco @ Heterodoxias.net. Y yo, la del Norte de Italia, no te digo…
El rincón del rapsoda VII. Kosovo @ Blimdablog. Lo que los inteletuales del Gobierno han dicho. Como dice el post “luego nos extrañamos de que en la CNN digan que España se niega a reconocer Kosovo porque teme que se agudicen sus conflictos étnicos“. De vergüenza: es que ni cuando toman una decisión que está bien tomada, la argumentación es correcta. Se necesita ser IDIOTAS. Y claro, después la CNN, que no sabe dónde tiene la mano derecha, considera que en España, los catalanes y los vascos son de una etnia diferente al resto de los españoles…

Kosovo, País Vasco, Cataluña… @ Luis. Yo creo que aquí no se está hablando sólo del derecho de secesión. Para mí, lo más importante es por qué se apoya por parte de la comunidad internacional una decisión que es evidentemente penosa y que además a Europa le va a suponer un aumento de la inestabilidad, del jihadismo y de la inmigración descontrolada. ¿Por qué? En primer lugar, por el hecho de ser un nido de contrabando (especialmente de drogas, procedentes de Albania y Macedonia, con cantidades que los expertos consideran que van a producir otro boom de la heroína como en los 80… heroína de Afganistán -1,2-), tienen ya los pasos y los caminos controlados para iniciar un asalto masivo a las fronteras porosas europeas. Pero es que en segundo lugar, estamos hablando de que Serbia hasta hace pocos días, estaba en conversaciones para entrar en la UE. ¿Qué pasa si ahora la UE admite a Kosovo? La libertad de “movimientos de personas“, ese gran invento de la UE…
Los blogueros catalanes independentistas llaman en la red a un Estado propio @ Escaño 351. La declaración unilateral de independencia de Kosovo ha sido de excusa para una iniciativa nacida en la blogosfera catalana. La campaña “Sumémonos en el mapa por un Estado Propio” pretende señalar el número mínimo de personas que apoyaría un referendo independentista en Cataluña.
ZP, España, Irak, Kosovo @ Una temporada en el Infierno: JPQ critica las palabras de Moratinos: comparar de lejos Irak y Kosovo es poner a Zapatero al pie de sus propios caballos.

Y como veis en la foto de arriba, los de etnia albanesa con la Kefiya palestina… Una gran decisión. Pero ¿contra qué está luchando Bush en la “guerra global contra el terror”? Porque me da que esto tiene justo el efecto contrario…

Honestamente, creo que Publius Pundit, Barcepundit y LGF se equivocan en esta cuestión. Sí, es cierto, hay asesinos en todos los lados (falta determinar quién empezó y las raíces del conflicto se extienden hasta la conquista otomana de los Balcanes, cuando muchos cristianos se convirtieron al Islam por los beneficios personales que la conversión les traía, lo que muchos silencian por razones obvias…), la independencia de Kosovo no es tal (porque depende del dictador impuesto por la UE como ya blogueé ayer) y Putin es un absoluto capullo (aunque en esto tiene razón…), pero el problema no es el pasado, si no el futuro. Y el futuro, como vemos, es preocupante con estas perspectivas.

¿Significa que hay que pasar por alto las barbaridades cometidas por los serbios? Ciertamente no, pero tampoco las cometidas por el resto… Y aquí parece que la gente es un poquito hooligan: si tengo manía a los serbios, estoy con los kosovares y si tengo mucha manía a los malitos de los kosovares musulmanes, entonces los serbios son inmaculados y puros. La realidad es que Clinton bombardeó a los serbios porque tenía que tapar el affaire Lewinski (las relaciones sexuales impropias …) y no por excelsas consideraciones humanitarias o de política internacional. Ahora Bush se salta la legalidad internacional apoyando esta decisión, porque de esa manera mete el dedo en el ojo a Putin, acercándole aún más a China. Incluso el ex-embajador de EEUU en la ONU, John Bolton, ya dijo que era un error, dejar a Rusia aislada, porque debería ser un socio (partner, no ally) en defensa.

Los países que se opongan (de verdad) al terrorismo, necesitan una estrategia real de confrontación con él y con todas las actividades que lo benefician (sobre todo, el tráfico de ilícitos y la corrupción interna…). Necesitan una posición conjunta y con altas miras que considere la situación global y no intereses particulares geoestratégicos. Y éste ciertamente NO es el camino…

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Post anterior: La importancia geopolítica de Kosovo.

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Technorati Tags: Serbia, Kosovo, Albania, Macedonia, terrorism, terrorismo, Islamism, Islamismo, OIC, Islam, Christianity, Cristianismo, Umma, USA, GWOT, China, Russia, Rusia, Saudi Arabia, Arabia Saudí, Wahabismo, Wahabbism, Anti-Semitismo, jihad, Anti-jihad

BBC NEWS | Europe | Split EU meets to debate Kosovo

EU foreign ministers are meeting in Brussels to seek a joint position on Kosovo’s independence declaration.While the major European powers are widely expected to recognise Kosovo’s independence from Serbia, several other countries have strong reservations.

Cyprus, Greece, Romania and Spain have expressed anxiety about the signal that recognition might send to separatists.

Kosovo’s majority ethnic Albanians celebrated with fireworks late into the night after parliament’s declaration.

Slovenia’s Foreign Minister Dimitrij Rupel, chairing the EU meeting, said “I understand many of the member states will recognise” Kosovo.

His British and French colleagues insisted Kosovo was a unique case and called for EU unity on the issue, the BBC’s Oana Lungescu reports.

La realidad es que no sabemos qué va a pasar a partir de ahora. En primer lugar porque Rusia apoya a Serbia y rechaza la independencia de la zona, lo que puede desencadenar otro enfrentamiento con Rusia (por si ya no había suficientes). En segundo lugar, EEUU, por un interés geoestratégico de desgaste del aliado de Rusia, apoya a Kosovo, exactamente igual que, por el mismo interés geoestratégico de control de Oriente Medio, apoya la entrada de Turquía. Ambos intereses, sin embargo, pueden ser totalmente penosos para Europa, como cuenta Aquiles:

este proceso de independencia paulatina logrado por Kosovo puede ser empleado (y aquí acierta Putin) por otros movimientos secesionistas existentes en otras partes del planeta para legitimar su causa, como puede ser aquí el caso vasco, en Francia el caso de los corsos, o el de los osetios en Georgia. No digo que sean situaciones equiparables, sino que puede ser empleado como argumentario por los movimientos secesionistas de otras partes de Europa y Asia ya que además esta “independencia” ha contado además con el apoyo de gran parte de los países occidentales.

The United States should be worried that Russia, China and OPEC oil-producing countries could use their growing financial clout to advance political goals, the top U.S. spy chief told Congress on Tuesday.

They do not understand they are just digging their own grave: not supporting Russia never (they could have supported Russia in Kosovo’s affair and calm down the relations a bit) they are causing Russia to fall on China’s embrace. Something that is not even strange, considering the growin influence of China in Siberia… because of the reserves of gas and oil that are the real target of Chinese Communists. Curiously, China is doing there the same thing Alban-Kosovars have done in Kosovo: massive immigration which has caused a change even in the name of Vladivostok, which is now known by its Chinese name. Surely this worries Putin a lot and it’s another reason not to support Kosovo’s independence, as China is not Serbia…

And this is also related with US support to China about Taiwan. As Madrid Pundit writes, US can stop any oilship which passes through the Strait of Taiwan as the have their US Navy stationed in Taiwan. But that has precisely made China support all and each one of the dictadors throughout the Globe if they have oil or gas (or other materials) specially if they are near: that is why they supported the Burmes Junta’s repression of the Saffron Revolution , has built a huge mega-oil pipe from Turkmenistan and has halted any control on the Iranian nuclear program. Farther we have Chinese support in Sudanese genocide in Darfur, helping Nigeria to launch a satellite not considering the excess of Sharia Law in the country, the agreements with Chávez, the trip to Africa and South America (including Bolivia)… With a special political-appeal: China is not asking for respect for Human Rights or democracy to the countries it is having relations with. Something entirely convenient for dictators such as Zimbabwean Mugabe.

These are the consequences of a globalised world: Kosovo’s independence can actually make the Chinese influence to grow in the world… We are just doing precisely what Chinese leadership want…

(+) La embajada de EEUU ha sido atacada en Belgrado. h/t Jawa Report. Los causantes son los serbios que se oponen a la

independencia y por tanto, a la posición de EEUU en el contencioso sobre Kosovo. Mientras John Bolton considera que la independencia de Kosovo producirá un incremento de la violencia islámica en Europa:

Taiwan y Australia han apoyado la independencia.

Un post muy interesante (en francés): L’independance du Kosovo: la Boîte de Pandore des séparatismes ethniques? @ Alexandre del Valle.

1. elle inciterait nombre d’Etats dans le Monde à défier le droit international et le statu quo des frontières reconnues, faisant imploser pléthore d’Etat fragiles et multiculturels, pas uniquement en Afrique ou en Asie ou en Amérique latine, mais jusqu’à nos démocraties pacifique. (incitará a varios Estados en el mundo a desafiar el derecho internacional y el status quo de las fronteras reconocidas, haciendo explotar una plétora de Estados frágiles y multiculturales, no sólo en África o en Asia o en América Latina, sino también hasta en nuestras pacíficas democracias).
2. Elle pourrait provoquer le retour des guerres ethniques dans les Balkans et rompre le fragile équilibre instauré depuis la guerre du Kosovo (puede provocar el retorno de las guerras étnicas en los Balcanes y romper el equilibrio frágil instaurada desde la guerra de Kosovo).

China está “muy preocupada” por la declaración de independencia de Kosovo. A China le preocupa que Taiwan haga lo mismo…Otra razón más que le une a Rusia…

PJM: Kosovo realmente no es independiente:

Even leaving aside the question of international legitimacy, however, there is another still more fundamental reason for insisting that Kosovo did not become independent yesterday and will not be independent for the foreseeable future – if indeed ever. In its resolution, the Kosovo parliament declared that Kosovo is an “independent and sovereign state.” But in the very next sentence it states that this declaration is occurring “in full accordance” with the famous “Ahtisaari Plan” for Kosovo’s final status: so-named for UN Special Envoy Martti Ahtisaari. Now, even a cursory glance at the Ahtisaari Plan – which can be consulted in full here – makes obvious that it does not in fact foresee independence for Kosovo, but rather what has been euphemistically described as “supervised independence.”

Kosovo is, needless to say, to be independent from Serbia – which de facto it has been, in any case, since the close of the NATO bombing campaign in June 1999 – and it is to have its “own” constitution and its “own” political institutions. But these political institutions as a whole are to be subjected to the higher authority of an “International Civilian Representative” invested with dictatorial powers. The International Civilian Representative or “ICR” is empowered, for instance, to annul any laws or decisions adopted by the local Kosovo authorities and to “sanction” or outright dismiss public officials. Lest there be any doubt about where the ultimate authority in Kosovo resides, the International Civilian Representative is to serve simultaneously as the “Special Representative” of the European Union.

Resumiendo: que según John Rosenthal, como la misma declaración de “independencia” frente a Serbia, al referirse al Plan Ahtissari, lo que prevee es una “independencia supervisada”, porque todas las instituciones del país están sometidas a una autoridad superior de un “Representante Civil Internacional” (RCI) con poderes dictatoriales. Este RCI sirve además como “Representante Especial” de la Unión Europea.

No sé si reírme o llorar: así que la Unión Europea al final gobierna Kosovo con poderes dictatoriales. El artículo continúa diciendo que el objetivo último del movimiento independentista es incorporarse a Albania…

Y Rusia ha advertido a Kosovo:

“We’ll strongly warn against any attempts at repressive measures should Serbs in Kosovo decide not to comply with this unilateral proclamation of independence,” Russia’s U.N. ambassador, Vitaly Churkin, said ahead of an emergency session of the U.N. Security Council, called by Moscow.

Advertimos contra cualquier intento de tomar medidas represivas si los serbios de Kosovo no cumplen con la proclamación unilateral de la independencia.

La cuenta atrás para otros movimientos semejantes ya ha comenzado: los separatistas vascos y catalanes ya han alabado el ejemplo de Kosovo. Pero la política exterior pésima del Gobierno socialista hace que España, en su posición contraria a la independencia, no tenga mucha influencia. Es curioso: ni Francia ni Gran Bretaña están muy preocupados por el apoyo que han dado a Kosovo. Y tanto uno como otro tienen problemas semejantes: Francia con los corsos (ya veremos con los vascos) y Gran Bretaña con los escoceses y galeses.

Albanians are seen passing a banner which reads, ‘Kosovo Is Free’, in the Albanian capital of Tirana, Sunday, Feb. 17, 2008. People throughout Albania were celebrating Kosovo’s independence Sunday, as the national flag fluttered from state buildings and private homes alike. (AP Photo/Hektor Pustina)

Un comentarista en HotAir dice lo siguiente:

Kosovo’s going to have to work awfully hard to keep Serbian minorities from seceding themselves.

Kosovo va a tenerlo realmente difícil para impedir que las minorías serbias se secesionen a su vez. Esto va a ser la leche…

Pues algo así puede pasar con el País Vasco y Álava.

Seul pays, avec la France, à avoir rejeté le projet de traité constitutionnel, les Pays-Bas ont décidé, vendredi 21 septembre, de ne pas soumettre le nouveau traité européen à référendum. “Un référendum n’est pas nécessaire (…) car le traité n’a pas d’implications constitutionnelles (…), et un référendum court-circuite le Parlement et le Sénat“, a estimé le premier ministre, Jan Peter Balkenende.

En conséquence, la décision finale reviendra vraisemblablement au Parlement, sauf si une majorité de députés se réunissent pour exiger un nouveau référendum. Un projet de loi en ce sens a été déposé, vendredi, par le Parti socialiste (extrême gauche). L’hypothèse d’un nouveau référendum reste cependant improbable, car même si elle obtenait l’approbation du Parlement, elle ne résisterait pas à son passage au Sénat, où les partis opposés à un référendum, dont le Parti démocrate-chrétien (CDA) de M. Balkenende, sont majoritaires.@import url(http://medias.lemonde.fr/mmpub/css/blog.css);

Les Pays-Bas ne soumettront pas le nouveau traité européen à référendum
LEMONDE.FR | 21.09.07

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David Vance:

I’m afraid that the current strategy of the The Dutch government to reject mounting calls for a referendum on Europe’s new reform treaty today, (two years after voters in the Netherlands killed off the European constitution in a referendum that stunned the EU) is profoundly UNDEMOCRATIC.

Considering that Gordon Brown is also managing to do the same… English bloggers are not very happy about it -they have even begun a campaign to press their MPs about the referendum h/t The Devil’s Kitchen-:

Totally right as you can see.

So what is the real state of democracy today? And what is the answer that society gives to this lack of democracy? Oh, yeah, life is good, come on… Let’s see how many people protest this abuse. Meanwhile, I’m just going to wait . No hurries…
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Para que veais el morro de los políticos (da igual el país -y no el periódico-): En Holanda no van a repetir el referéndum sobre la Constitución Europea porque “no es necesario, porque el tratado no tiene ninguna implicación constitucional y un referendum cortocircuitaría al Parlamento y al Senado“, según el Primer Ministro Balkenende.

La única posibilidad para convocar otro referendum sería que una mayoría de diputados lo exigieran. El Partido socialista la ha presentado. Pero, aunque pasara el Congreso, nunca pasaría el Senado, donde los partidos que se oponen al referéndum, incluido el Demócrata-Cristiano, de Balkenende, son mayoría. Y todos tan amigos…

De modo que la verdadera voluntad popular, es decir, la manifestada en el referéndum (un rotundo no), va a ser ahora cocinada por los políticos para que salga, ejem, lo que ellos quieren y no los representados.

Una cosa parecida quiere hacer en Francia Sarkozy.

(La viñeta dice “Devolvemos la constitución a los ciudadanos con modificaciones significativas“. En la portada de la Constitución: “Sólo responda sí” Y abajo: “La portada tiene un color diferente” ).