EU: The warning by the President of the European Commission, Mr Romano Prodi, that European Union member-states could be asked to leave if they refuse to accept the EU Constitution was condemned yesterday by the Green Party.
"This is yet further evidence of the anti-democratic attitude that informs Mr Prodi's vision of Europe," said Mr John Gormley.
"In Mr Prodi's Europe, rules are there to be broken. For example, it was Mr Prodi who first said that the stability pact was stupid, which was tantamount to giving the green light to both France and Germany to ignore the criteria laid down in the pact."
Mr Gormley added: "Now Mr Prodi wants to ignore the rules regarding unanimity for the ratification of the new Constitution.
"He is effectively threatening those countries that have the temerity to reject the Constitution with expulsion from the European Union. The ordinary voter might reasonably ask, why proceed with a referendum if there can only be one expected answer?"
The Green Party spokesman for foreign affairs favoured the ratification of the new Constitution by the majority of citizens and members of EU states.
"If Mr Prodi and other senior figures in the European Union were truly interested in democracy and really wanted a European Constitution for the people of Europe, then they would have sought to have the Constitution ratified by the majority of citizens and the majority of states in the European Union.
"The idea of ratification by dual majority was a proposal put to the Convention and it was later suggested by the European Parliament, yet it was rejected by Mr Prodi and others.
"It was rejected, I believe, because Mr Prodi and others actually fear democracy. They fear that the Constitution would be rejected either by the majority of States or by the majority of citizens of the Union."
Meanwhile, the Fine Gael Munster MEP, Mr John Cushnahan, said the Constitution would be stillborn if it does not get the consent of the Commission, European Parliament and national parliaments.
