- Target:
- Foreign Ministers of the EU and Candidate Countries
- Region:
- Ireland
The people of the Republic of Ireland voted against the Nice Treaty in a referendum on June 7, 2001. The rejection was for a number of complex reasons mainly related fears of being enmeshed in a military alliance or loss of independence to EU institutions. Yet, in the European media we are being portrayed as a selfish nation who don't want to see the economic benefits of EU membership being extended to the East European countries.
After the rejection of the Nice Treaty, newspapers and politicians in other EU countries have accused us of being self-centred. Having reaped the benefits of EU enlargement ourselves they say, we don't want to see it extended to countries in the former Eastern bloc. Polish newspapers speak angrily of 'a slap in the face' from the Irish while the Czech statesman Vaclac Havel has accused us of being the most selfish nation in Europe. German newspapers have sneered that our support will have to be 'bought' with more EU funds. This petition gives everyone the chance to express their support for EU expansion regardless of how they voted. Even those who voted 'no' have generally done so because of fears of loss of sovereignty or being sucked into a military alliance. By signing this petition, you are showing your support for the principle that the countries of Eastern Europe should have the same opportunity for peace and prosperity that we have had in the EU.
You can further help this campaign by sponsoring it
The Support European Union Enlargement petition to Foreign Ministers of the EU and Candidate Countries was written by Ciaran Reilly and is in the category Government at GoPetition.