Slovenia prioritises Irish Yes vote

EU: Incoming EU president Slovenia is hoping Britain can help Ireland with its referendum by ratifying the Lisbon Treaty in the Commons prior to an Irish vote.

Slovenian foreign minister Dimitrij Rupel said yesterday his country would do all it could, including campaign, to help the Government get the necessary "Yes vote".

"I . . . expect that our British friends will have their ratification let's say sometime in the spring, so this will be a very good sign also for our Irish friends, so that they can have a relaxed kind of referendum," said Mr Rupel, who said Slovenia would prioritise ratification of the treaty during its six-month tenure as EU president.

The Lisbon Treaty, which was signed by EU leaders last week, replaces the EU constitution, which was rejected by French and Dutch voters in 2005.

It seeks to make decision-making more efficient at the EU's institutions, and boost the union's ability to act in key areas, particularly in justice and foreign affairs.

All member states bar Ireland are scheduled to ratify the treaty in their national parliaments, with Britain remaining one of the few states where there is significant opposition from parliamentarians.

Supporters of the draft treaty believe that if Britain ratifies the treaty before the Irish referendum, which is most likely to be scheduled for May or June, it would add significant momentum to the Yes campaign. The theory is that the fear of being isolated in Europe, without even the Eurosceptic British for company, would persuade Irish people to vote Yes in the proposed referendum.

Mr Rupel said Irish leaders had told him the referendum was a slightly more complicated process but they "did not foresee more grave or more serious problems". He would be following the Irish referendum closely and would, if necessary, campaign.

Most EU diplomats fear that an Irish No vote could kill the Lisbon Treaty and prompt a new crisis of confidence within the union about the best way forward.Slovenia is the first of the new member states that joined the Uunion in 2004 to hold the EU presidency. It takes over from Portugal in January.

© 2007 The Irish Times

This article appears in the print edition of the Irish Times