No vote will not hit EU goodwill, group claims

A NO vote in the Lisbon Treaty referendum will not result in Irish people losing the goodwill of other European citizens, the co-ordinator of a campaign demanding plebiscites in other EU member states said yesterday.

Thomas Rupp of the European Referendum Campaign said Irish people were fortunate to have the chance to vote on the treaty and should not feel under any pressure from home or abroad to take sides in the referendum.

"There are many Europeans who agree with the Yes vote and many want a No vote, but the Irish people should vote how they want. They don't have to care about the rest of Europe on this," he said.

The campaign believes citizens of other EU member states should be given the same opportunity to vote on the treaty as Irish people.

It has organised events, such as street parties and protest rallies, that will take place in front of Irish embassies in 14 EU capital cities.

Many political and human rights organisations, predominantly against Lisbon, have been taking part in these events in cities such as Amsterdam, Paris and Berlin.

A number of prominent European figures have offered the campaign their support, including Dutch MP Harry van Bommel and Danish MEP Jens Peter Bonde.

Mr Rupp said: "In the campaign local groups will congratulate the Irish for holding a referendum which has been denied to 487 million Europeans."

This article appears in the print edition of the Irish Times