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outubro 19, 2004
Italy set to ratify EU constitution
[Fonte: The Times]
ITALY hopes to be the first European Union member state to approve the European constitution by rushing through a vote to endorse the controversial document after the signing ceremony in Rome next week.
Rome has decided against joining the six countries that have pledged to hold referendums on the issue.
The constitution, which has to be ratified by all member states to come into force, will be signed on October 29 at a lavish ceremony at the Campidoglio, a Renaissance-era palazzo on Capitol Hill where the Treaty of Rome was signed by the six founder nations of the EU in 1957.
A €4 million (£2.8 million) restoration effort is under way to ensure that the palazzo’s marble floors and frescoed walls are in perfect condition for the signing of the “Second Treaty of Rome” by leaders of the 25 member states of the enlarged EU. Six states — Britain, Ireland, France, Spain, Belgium, and Denmark — have pledged to hold referendums to ratify the constitution, while Poland, Luxembourg, the Czech Republic and the Netherlands have signalled that they may also hold referendums.
Franco Frattini, the Italian Foreign Minister, had indicated that Italy would follow suit. But yesterday officials ruled this out, saying that a referendum would be contrary to Italy’s national Constitution. Article 75 states that referendums may not be held on matters relating to the budget, prison amnesties or “the ratification of international treaties”.
Instead, the Constitution will be put to a parliamentary vote. Constitutional laws in Italy must be passed twice by the Lower House by two-thirds majorities, with an interval of three months between the two votes.
Officials said that Silvio Berlusconi, the Prime Minister, hoped that the first vote could be held before or shortly after the next EU summit in Brussels on November 5, allowing the second vote to be held before the Spanish referendum, scheduled for February 20.
Political commentators predict that Signor Berlusconi is likely to face a revolt within his own coalition from the maverick Northern League, which sees the new constitution as an erosion of national and regional sovereignty, as do the communists. However, the main Centre Left opposition parties are likely to offer Signor Berlusconi bipartisan support, ensuring a two-thirds majority.
Signor Berlusconi persuaded fellow EU leaders to stage the ceremony in Rome even though Italy failed to bring negotiations over the constitution to a close when it held the EU presidency in the second half of last year.
Instead, the deadlock was broken under the presidency of Ireland in the first half of this year and the Rome signing will be held under the auspices of the current Dutch presidency. Security for the event will be provided by 4,000 police officers.
The Rome signing ceremony will also be attended by Romano Prodi, Signor Berlusconi’s political rival, in his last act as President of the European Commission, as well as by leaders of EU applicant countries, including Romania, Bulgaria and Turkey.
Signor Berlusconi has repeatedly championed the cause of Turkish EU membership. Yesterday, however, Umberto Bossi, the Northern League leader, who is convalescing after suffering a stroke, embarrassed Signor Berlusconi by insisting that there should be a referendum on Turkey’s eventual membership in Italy and other member states because it would be an “epoch making event which will affect the development of Europe for centuries to come”.
Achille Sera, the Rome chief of police, said a “security cordon” would be thrown around the Campidoglio for the ceremony, despite the incovenience to tourists. He said left wing protesters who had demanded the right to hold a demonstration against the Iraq war would be allowed to do so, but not until the EU leaders had left.
Publicado por esta às outubro 19, 2004 10:58 PM