Irish guarantees do not change Lisbon treaty - Czech EU minister

"The guarantees do not change the Lisbon treaty itself in any respect. They have the character of explanatory assurances. In other words, the Irish guarantees only confirm and explain what is already in the text of the Lisbon treaty," Fuele said.

Confirming the position of Prime Minister Jan Fischer, Fuele said the agreement on guarantees had the character of an inter-governmental agreement that was not subjected to the approval of the parliament and president.

The guarantees assure Irish voters that the treaty will not result in changes in certain areas, such as Irish neutrality and national sovereignty in the fields of taxes and abortion.

Klaus says since the guarantees for Ireland over the repetition of the referendum on the Lisbon treaty have changed the document, they should be ratified by all EU members.

Klaus argues with the promise of a European commissioner for Ireland, although under the Lisbon treaty not all EU countries will have a representation in the European Commission.

Fuele said the equation "one EU member = one European commissioner" would be applied until in October 2014.

Then the number of European commissioners will fall by one-third, provided any EU summit do not change the number, he added.

Fuele has dismissed the idea that the guarantees constituted any concessions or exceptions for the Irish whose country would thus be more equal than the rest.

Fuele said the specific guarantees for Ireland related to the family, right to life and education. The guarantees of national sovereignty relating to taxes and neutrality relate to all EU countries, he added.

Thanks to the agreement, the second Irish referendum on the Lisbon treaty can be held in early October.

In the first referendum from last June the Irish rejected the treaty. Polls are showing that the Irish are not likely to do so again.

Ireland is the only EU country not to have approved the treaty.

Author: ČTK
www.ctk.cz