Summary of the main arguments against Lisbon

national | eu | opinion/analysis

Monday June 09, 2008 10:07

by Howard Holby

This article summarises our main arguments against Lisbon and presents a most recent example as a further proof of our former claims.

“Fishermen clash with police at EU”
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/7435831.stm
“However, the EU officials stressed that any fuel subsidies would be illegal under European law and unsustainable in the long term. EU rules state that the value-added tax (VAT) rate on fuel cannot be less than 15%. Member states are free to set VAT rates at or above that minimum.”

This incident underlines several major points of our former discussion:

1) The predefined one-size-fits-all figures to be applied for all economic cases, the complete insensitivity regarding the specific needs of an economy in the region, the rigid approach to specify one unalterable and unquestionable plan for the economy without using the appropriate professional techniques in resolving macroeconomic issues: these have been the characteristics of the centrally ruled economy in the former Soviet Union. The result of such a rigid approach to macroeconomics is the inevitable collapse of an economy [1, 2].
2) The rude intervention of the Union into its member state's economy is an utter violation against a country's sovereignty [2].
3) It proves that the Union determination to perform total harmonisation of all rules and regulations within the EU, therefore the harmonisation of corporate taxes will be inevitable [2].
4) It demonstrates the Union’s antidemocratic means to resolve its issues [2].
5) It proves that the Union law enjoys primacy over national laws without any authorisation [2].

During the Lisbon-campaign numerous objective arguments against ratifying the Lisbon Treaty have been presented with ample evidence both by the text of the Treaty and by the facts of the Lisbon process (see the references and recommended articles).
The pro-Lisbon campaign however only offered an endless propaganda of empty repetitions and false statements without any attempt for reasoning with substantial and rational arguments. Both the EU and the Irish government failed to publicise a full and readable version of the Lisbon Treaty [3].

Among the many arguments against Lisbon the sheer contradiction between the principles of democracy and the practices of the Union has remained in the very centre.
The acts of throwing away former referendum results (the French and Dutch), intentionally [4] distorting a formerly rejected federal constitution into an incomprehensible and seemingly harmless “reform treaty”, the act of grabbing political power over a region by encouraging overthrowing the national constitutions in the member states, the mass-media manipulation to support Lisbon by misrepresenting constitutional matters and distorting facts of utmost public relevance, are all in sharp contradiction with the objective concept of democracy, rule of law and constitutionalism. [2]

A political system can be called democracy only if all of the main criteria of the concept 'democracy' are satisfied. The meaning of democracy is much more than having an ‘elected parliament’ at a certain point in time and being an elected representative with democratic legitimacy is definitely not a passport to exercising absolute powers between two elections. The Lisbon Treaty, along with the current political trend in the member states, have been measured against the objective concept of democracy, and failed on all counts [2].

References

[1] “Voting NO to Lisbon: to avoid the collapse of economy”
(Final countdown: myths versus facts regarding the Lisbon Treaty)
http://www.indymedia.ie/article/87857

[2] “Our future under a ratified Lisbon Treaty – I.”
http://www.indymedia.ie/article/87683

“Our future under a ratified Lisbon Treaty – II.”
http://www.indymedia.ie/article/87712

“Our future under a ratified Lisbon Treaty – III.”
http://www.indymedia.ie/article/87730

[3] “What does the government hide by hiding the Lisbon Treaty?”
http://www.indymedia.ie/article/87595

[4] Bonde’s Briefing 19.12.07: "Born in sun and sin"
"The EU’s Prime Ministers met Thursday 13 December 2007 11.30 in Lisbon to solemnly sign the Lisbon Treaty which none of them has had time to read.
The text has on purpose been made totally unreadable, and the numbering system has been changed time and time again, Bonde, who was present at the signing ceremony, writes."
http://www.bonde.com/index.php/bonde_UK/article/bondes_...91207

Other readings:

“Voting NO to Lisbon: to keep our homes, families and economic strength”
http://www.indymedia.ie/article/87814

“Top Reasons to Vote NO to Lisbon Treaty”
http://www.indymedia.ie/article/87518

“Voting No for a reason: Lisbon Treaty OR a Europe of democracy”
http://www.indymedia.ie/article/87345

“Ireland, a vital fact proven: the Lisbon Treaty is a constitution”
http://www.indymedia.ie/article/87182