Commission accentuates the positive in push for EU constitution

GETTING a yes vote to the European Constitution will be very difficult with even the outcome of the Irish vote uncertain, the vice-president of the European Commission admitted yesterday.

Margot Wallstrom, in charge of communications in the commission, visits Dublin later this week to discuss the referendum and pledge EU money for an information campaign.

The Swedish commissioner blamed citizens’ mistrust of the EU throughout the union for a possible rejection of the constitution drawn up by national governments and politicians over a two year period.

From the opinion polls carried out by the commission, she said it was clear that getting a yes vote in Britain, France, the Czech Republic and Poland will be a huge challenge.

In many countries, including Ireland, the challenge will be to fight apathy and get out the vote, she said.

If even one of the 25 member states vote against the constitution, it will fall.

“Ireland is not a given but this has to do with mobilising voters because Irish people do trust the EU and see the benefits of belonging to the Union”, she said, adding she trusted Irish politicians to get the vote out as they did during the re-run of the Nice treaty.

She expects the defence issue will be an area of concern to Irish voters, as it will be in Sweden, another neutral country.

Part of the reason people did not trust the EU was what she described as the blame game where national governments blame the EU for unpopular decisions.

“We have to end the blame game - we see it almost every week. If something is successful politicians take the credit, if it turns out badly, blame Brussels”, she said, adding it would take a long time to change this.

The European Commission’s offer of an information campaign under the title “Everything but propaganda”, has already proved divisive, with Britain saying it will not accept any help or funding towards its campaign.

About €41,000 has been set aside by the commission for copies of the constitution in Irish and English to be distributed in here.

It will also be available on a new website and a free call telephone information line is being set up to respond to questions from the public.