It is a general truth that in every country in Europe there are people who have realised that freedom, sovereignty and peace are things that must be preserved. Thus there are also initiatives in Austria that have been resisting ever since the country acceded to the EU.

The Irish people were the only country to be allowed to vote on the Treaty of Lisbon, and on 12 June 2008 held the entire treaty to be invalid and hence deny it entry into effect (Art. 54 Para. 2 EU Treaty). All democrats were hoping for this bold step, hoping that the Irish would not give way despite the international pressure, and we were unbelievably proud and grateful for this upright attitude.

What lies in the future is beyond doubt. Brussels will make the decisions for all the member states, including decisions about war and peace. Citizens’ rights will no longer be guaranteed. They are limited by every treaty, with new laws being created on the basis of this wrong. Privatisation will be encouraged, the state sold off and new military alliances concluded, as in Austria despite the assurances from our government, even the new one(!), that we are still neutral. However, the government agreement of November resolved to take on the battle group concept for military missions and to implement the EU Headline Goal 2010. This means that Austria will in future be able to wage war alongside the EU, without having to rely on US and NATO infrastructures, and to this end the EU can issue its own mandate (without the UN Security Council). We are also part of the multinational Framework Brigade, in which the Petersberg functions are being restructured. And this despite the fact that the Lisbon Treaty is invalid.

You Irish are now being assured your neutrality and an EU commissioner of your own, as a means of saving the Treaty. Our government too continuously tells us that we will retain our neutrality, and every demand that the truth be told receives nothing but a self-satisfied smile. We are seen as being lost in the past, negative, conspirators. Promises and assurances from Brussels are now to be used to reduce democracy even further. We would be glad to help you and inform you about the action before the constitutional court we lodged on 23 October. Every possible means must be used to stop politicians, above all in those countries whose neutrality is responsible for world peace.

Univ. Prof. Karl Albrecht Schachtschneider drew up a 372-page constitutional complaint that was submitted to the Austrian Constitutional Court. A summary of this was also published in the English edition, Current Concerns, of the Swiss journal Zeit-Fragen. This independent journal has for years been standing up for the unrestricted formation of opinion, ethics and responsibility and for the strengthening of and compliance with international law, human rights and humanitarian international law. It is a valuable international medium in this context, but is only available on subscription and is not on sale in the retail trade.

On request, we will be pleased to send you the corresponding printed edition of Current Concerns.

The lecture by Prof. Schachtschneider in Salzburg can be found with subtitles in English on this web page.

The holding of a new referendum in Ireland would be legally dubious pursuant to Art. 46 Para. 2 of the Irish Constitution. It would deny binding character to a sovereign decision, a decision by the people moreover, in legislative proceedings. This is not permitted according to general law. What would be possible is a new legislative attempt to amend the constitution on the basis of a new bill. But this approach is also constitutionally dubious unless the situation has changed so much that the binding effect of the people’s decision is no longer valid.

However, the EU Treaty of Lisbon is substantially identical to the rejected treaty on a constitution for Europe, which was rejected in France and the Netherlands. Nor does the new Treaty eliminate the huge democratic deficits, and continues the neo-capitalist course. The member states of the EU will lose their right of self-determination and dragged, without legitimisation, into an undemocratic EU that is in the process of becoming a federal state – they will be downgraded to the status of markets for international business.

The empowerment legislation that the Treaty of Lisbon will create itself enables the heads of state and government in the EU to assume all the rights needed to achieve their aims and amend the Treaty again, without need for any ratification by national parliaments, see EU Treaty, Art. 308 (352), flexibility clause, and Art. 48 Para. 6, simplified amendment procedure. In addition, pursuant to Art. 269 (311) Para. 1 of the Treaty, the EU can create new categories of revenue, such as EU taxes – again without the consent of the parliaments.

sincerely yours,

Helmut Schramm

e-address: helmutschramm (at) gmx.at