halldor
11-21-2002, 10:51 AM
EUOBSERVER / TALLINN 14.11.2002 - 08:47 CET- Estonia is in the process
of changing its constitution, as the present one does not give it the
legal right to join the EU. During the second reading of the bill on
Tuesday, the justice chancellor, Allar Jõks, proposed a special
article to protect Estonian sovereignty. The new article says that
should the EU develop in an unsuitable direction for Estonia, the
clause will provide the basis for secession.
If the EU developed towards federalism that would be seen as an
unsuitable direction for Estonia, according to Mart Nutt, member of
the constitutional and the European affairs commission in the Estonian
Parliament. "Estonia cannot be part of a federal EU," he said. A
federal EU is no longer a union of sovereign states, if Estonia ever
would wish to be part of a federal EU it would have to amend its
constitution, Mr Nutt added.
The bill was tabled in May and will soon enter the third and also the
last reading. Then it will be put for a referendum. At the same
referendum, Estonians will be asked whether Estonia should join the
EU. The referendum will probably take place at the end of August or
the beginning of September 2003.
of changing its constitution, as the present one does not give it the
legal right to join the EU. During the second reading of the bill on
Tuesday, the justice chancellor, Allar Jõks, proposed a special
article to protect Estonian sovereignty. The new article says that
should the EU develop in an unsuitable direction for Estonia, the
clause will provide the basis for secession.
If the EU developed towards federalism that would be seen as an
unsuitable direction for Estonia, according to Mart Nutt, member of
the constitutional and the European affairs commission in the Estonian
Parliament. "Estonia cannot be part of a federal EU," he said. A
federal EU is no longer a union of sovereign states, if Estonia ever
would wish to be part of a federal EU it would have to amend its
constitution, Mr Nutt added.
The bill was tabled in May and will soon enter the third and also the
last reading. Then it will be put for a referendum. At the same
referendum, Estonians will be asked whether Estonia should join the
EU. The referendum will probably take place at the end of August or
the beginning of September 2003.