In the article on Joerge Haider and the European Union, RMNews suggested that the actions of the EU might backfire.
http://www.rumormillnews.com/cgi-bin/config.pl?read=1376
The following article by Ambrose Evans-Pritchard illustrates our point. The essense of the article is summed up in this paragraph:
"....there is growing irritation in Brussels that the Portuguese presidency of the EU continues to present the action of the 14 states as if it were an official EU policy when, in fact, it has no legal basis under EU treaty law and is taking place outside the formal structure of the EU. The unprecedented decision of the EU governments to meddle so openly in the internal politics of a democratic sovereign state drew intense criticism in the European Parliament yesterday."
**********************
EU thrown into crisis by threats to Austria
By Ambrose Evans-Pritchard in Brussels
15,000 protest over Haider coalition role
Boris Johnson: The hills are alive with the sound of humbug
THE European Union was headed for crisis last night as Austrian leaders moved closer to including the far-Right Freedom Party in government in the face of growing threats from EU member governments.
Hubert Védrine, the French Foreign Minister, said that Austria could be "suspended" from the EU for failure to ensure the protection of fundamental rights, threatening the most severe sanction available to EU members for use against a fellow state.
But there is growing irritation in Brussels that the Portuguese presidency of the EU continues to present the action of the 14 states as if it were an official EU policy when, in fact, it has no legal basis under EU treaty law and is taking place outside the formal structure of the EU. The unprecedented decision of the EU governments to meddle so openly in the internal politics of a democratic sovereign state drew intense criticism in the European Parliament yesterday.
The European People's Party, the majority conservative party, denounced the threats against Austria as foolish, unwarranted, and possibly illegal, and said it "would support the Austrian government" if it were to include Jörg Haider's party. The party's stance raises the possibility that the European Parliament, the EU's only elected body, could ultimately disavow the actions of EU governments.
Edward McMillan-Scott, leader of the Tory MEPs, said: "We reject absolutely the underlying philosophy, programme and tone of Austria's Freedom Party. But not a word was said by these same EU governments about coalitions involving fellow-travelling communists in the French or Italian governments, or in German state governments, or even the British government's willingness to promote those with terrorist associations as ministers in Northern Ireland today."
Romano Prodi, the president of the European Commission, continued to play a balancing act between the demands of the 14 member governments and the constraints of EU law, which allows the commission to take action under the provisions of the Amsterdam Treaty only when there are "serious and persistent breaches" of human rights.
The crisis is already starting to rattle the financial markets, which are afraid that Austria might use its vote at the Council of Ministers to paralyse all EU business. Yesterday, the international credit rating agency, Standard and Poor's, said that it was re-evaluating Austria's AAA credit-rating in the light of developments.
In a speech to the European Parliament, Mr Prodi politely reminded Europe's governments that "the treaties set out precise mechanisms for ensuring the principles of the union are respected". The commission says its own dealings with Vienna are not affected and will not be affected until and unless there is a concrete violation of the treaty.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/et?ac=000114832908976&rtmo=pbIbehse&atmo=ggggg3JK&pg=/et/00/2/3/waus03.html
