mr president tonight the hope generated by the czech ratification of the lisbon treaty is being overshadowed by the quasi-conspiratorial atmosphere of this meeting
some were afraid that by preparing the proper implementation of a treaty badly and urgently needed we might offend certain citizens of the union
i believe that on the contrary we are offending the citizens by hiding the truth about what europe really is and could be and by refusing a frank and rational dialogue with them
likewise to show respect for a minority opinion while ignoring the majority decision is offensive to both the given majority and the general principles of democracy we all claim to cherish
the written text of a treaty is not enough
one has to give that text a clarifying interpretation which puts in light its spirit thus allowing for the best implementation
that is precisely what today's reports are doing
they speak about one the parliamentarisation of the union two the communitarisation of the european institutions three the establishment of an interinstitutional equilibrium as a guarantee for a transnational checks-and-balances system four the assurance of legislative coherence and cohesion at european union level through europeanisation of the national parliaments and not nationalisation of the european parliament five concentrations of instruments and policies for the good of institutional efficiency and six the improvement of representation transparency and participation at european union level
along those lines we will be able to see emerging a demos which will fill with substance the present shell of the european procedures making them relevant to the citizens
the only thing which remains to be done is to find a solution to bridge the elections to the new parliament and the coming into force of the lisbon treaty
i hope that the sense of responsibility and solidarity of our irish fellows will help us to achieve that and to keep to our historical timetable
