Roger Helmer MEP

As I write, July 1st, France takes over the six-month Presidency of the EU.  And they’re off to a rough start, for this morning’s news is that the Polish President Lech Kaczynski has refused to sign off the ratification of the Lisbon Treaty, on the very reasonable grounds that after the Irish NO vote, the Treaty is dead.  Meantime the splendid Vaclav Klaus of the Czech Republic is also delaying ratification.
 
Other EU leaders mouth platitudes about “respecting the Irish vote”, yet they press ahead with ratification in defiance of public opinion.  The EU loves to talk about “democracy and the rule of law”, yet if you want to find those values you have to look not in London, or Paris, or Berlin, but in Prague and Warsaw.  At least Poland and the Czech Republic are prepared to stand up for freedom and democracy.  Well done them.