18.06.08: EU leaders sink deeper into contradiction - The Diigo Meta page

• 18 Jun 08
  

  Prof. Dr Wolfgang Schumann

  constitution lisbon-treaty ireland enlargement enlargementpolicymemberstates enlargementpolicy_eu interinstitutional_relations westernbalkans

  • n the confusion following the failed Lisbon Treaty referendum in Ireland, EU leaders are still issuing contradictory messages, adding to the chaotic situation. In the meantime the Slovenian Presidency confirmed that no major decision on how to address the crisis is to be expected from the imminent EU summit on June 19-20.

  • The issue of future EU enlargements is proving particularly slippery, as the current and future holders of the EU's rotating presidency expressed contrary views on the subject. The president of the European Parliament then contradicted the EU's enlargement commissioner and the bloc's foreign policy chief in much the same manner. 

     

    While Slovenian Foreign Minister Dmitrij Rupel, on behalf of the outgoing EU Presidency, excluded any changes to the enlargement process following the Irish referendum, French President and upcoming EU Council President Nicolas Sarkozy warned that "for opening to the Balkans, to Croatia, we need the Lisbon Treaty". Sarkozy's comments were made in Prague, where he was trying to convince his eurosceptic hosts that the Czech Republic should not halt its ratification process. Ratification has indeed stalled there pending a ruling from the Constitutional Court. 

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