'No chance' for EU constitution in Poland, Kaczynski says

EUobserver ^ | 24.02.2006 | Mark Beunderman

[lizol]

'No chance' for EU constitution in Poland, Kaczynski says

24.02.2006 - 09:47 CET | By Mark Beunderman

Polish president Lech Kaczynski has said the EU constitution has "no chance" of being ratified in Poland, while pleading for a new, less centralist kind of charter.

The Polish leader made his remarks in an interview with French daily Le Figaro on Friday (24 February), ahead of a two-day visit to France on Friday and Saturday.

"This treaty has practically no chance of being ratified in Poland, neither by referendum, nor via the parliamentary route," he was quoted as saying.

Mr Kaczynski's interview reiterated earlier calls for a new EU charter, looser and more decentralised than the EU constitution rejected by French and Dutch voters last year.

The Polish leader told Le Figaro "In any case, it should take reality into account, that is to say the differences between the members of the union as far as the levels of development are concerned as well as traditions and expectations."

Underlining the central role of nation states in his thinking, he said "what interests the Poles is what will come out of Poland, not the future of the union as a whole. It's the same in France."

"What interests people is what Jacques Chirac says, not the declarations of Mr Barroso," he said mockingly.

On Wednesday he had stated that the current EU constitution text "brings us closer to a super-state," according to PAP.

Poland remembers "shut up" remark The trip to Paris constitutes Mr Kaczynski’s first visit to a capital in "old" Europe, before a trip to Germany planned in March.

Le Monde writes that Mr Kaczynski's choice of Paris shows a warming-up in Franco-Polish relations which suffered during Poland’s support for the US-led invasion of Iraq in 2003.

Mr Chirac famously said in 2003 after Poland, Hungary and the Czech Republic backed the US position "They missed a good opportunity to shut up," adding "These countries have been not very well behaved and rather reckless of the danger of aligning themselves too rapidly with the American position."

Poland has not forgotten Mr Chirac’s "unfortunate" remarks, Mr Kaczynski indicated.

He told Le Figaro "to me, that way of thinking of the type 'we welcome you in the European Union, but you have to abide', that doesn't make sense."

[denydenydeny]

Sto Lat, Lech! The Poles make me so proud.

[lizol]

No, it was Jan III Sobieski


"Sobieski Sending Message of Victory to the Pope, after the Battle of Vienna" by Matejko (1838-1893)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jan_III_Sobieski

[RobbyS]

Is his picture on the currency?

[JamesP81]

It appears my memory is not serving me very well today.

[lizol]

You might have mistaken him with another king of Poland, who fought against muslims - Wladyslaw III of Varna.

Unfortunately - that one wasn't victorious and got killed during the Battle of Varna.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wladyslaw_Warnenczyk

[Malesherbes]

There is a fine bust of Jan III Sobieski in the lobby of the hotel that bears his name in Warsaw. My guess is that his great victory, largely forgotten except in Poland, will increasingly come to mind as Europe faces a new Islamic invasion.

If the Poles don't kill off the EU Constitution, the Aland islanders will. The Alanders (26,000 in number)live off the coast of Finland, speak Swedish, but are legally Finnish citizens. The Finnish constitution gives them the right to veto any treaties, and they have already voted to veto the EU constitution. The last straw was when the EU bureaucrats in Brussels outlawed chewing tobacco of which the Alanders are especially fond.

[Proud_USA_Republican]

The EU didn't make any friends when they tried to outlaw german bar waitresses from wearing dresses that displayed any clevage claiming some idiotic "we know whats best for you because your at risk for skin cancer" truck load of manure.

This is why the EU constiution is bound to fail.

[lizol]

The same happened to tabaka - which is a tobacco powder, that people sniff and inhale trough nose.

It's particularly popuplar in Kashubia region of Poland.

As far as I know EU has already banned it, or is going to.

[Optimill]

Once again reminded of why I love Poland so much. :-) Would love to visit it one day.

[anonymoussierra]

"Once again reminded of why I love Poland so much. :-) Would love to visit it one day."
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Well come in:}}}

[Issaquahking]

Mr Chirac famously said in 2003 after Poland, Hungary and the Czech Republic backed the US position "They missed a good opportunity to shut up," adding "These countries have been not very well behaved and rather reckless of the danger of aligning themselves too rapidly with the American position."

Hey Jerkoff Chirac perhaps Poland recognizes that freedom comes before all else. It's something you wish to squelch, something only a socialist POS would do. Just another reason to boycott france!