Austrians Demonstrate Against Lisbon in Vienna

Our Austrian correspondent ESW sends her report on a demonstration that took place in Vienna last Saturday.



Vienna: At least 10,000 demand a referendum on the Lisbon Treaty
by ESW

A demonstration comprising people from all walks of life, from all political parties (except the Greens), from young to old, convened in front of the famous Staatsoper (State Opera) in the center of Vienna to demonstrate against the ratification of the Lisbon Treaty in the Austrian Parliament, which will occur on April 9, 2008 without holding a referendum.

The demonstration was organized by a non-political platform called “Save Austria”. The protestors marched peacefully from the opera house to St. Stephen’s cathedral, where university professors — such as Hans Peter Aubauer from the University of Vienna (Environmental Physics), Adrian Hollaender, professor of European Law at the University of Vienna and the University of Klausenburg, Romania, and others — spoke about the implications of the Lisbon Treaty and the absolute constitutional necessity for a referendum.

Excerpts from Professor Aubauer’s speech:

All the member countries of the European Union, including Austria, must be able to decide in a referendum on the Lisbon Treaty. It must not be imposed on us! It will end democracy in Austria, the freedom of conducting politics according to the interests of the Austrians. Decisions regarding our destiny and future will then be decided by politicians who have not been democratically legitimized and who cannot be voted out.

Because our politicians are afraid that we will not decide to get rid of democracy, they do not risk a referendum, and thus abolish democracy without our approval.

In June 1994, a referendum was held regarding Austria’s accession to the EU. There was no fairness, only propaganda during the campaign: The Austrian currency, Austria’s neutrality, and the freedom of political decisions would all remain. We would simply be able to take part in European decision-making. And now we are told the exact opposite: that we had already decided for the abolishment of democracy back then! We had given a blank check for all decisions made after our accession to the EU.

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Now our politicians are saying: tough luck! You, the people, have been lured into a trap with the help of our propaganda, and we will not let you out of it!

Back then you agreed to ceding sovereignty to foreign lobbies forever and ever.

However, there was no decision made on a blank check in 1994. According to the constitutional law concerning Austria’s EU accession (September 1994), the referendum voted on the result of the negotiations (between Austria and the EU). And nothing else.

We are told that there was no referendum on the Treaties of Amsterdam and Nizza as well as the accession of the new member states, so why should we be asked now?

The law was broken back then, and this does not mean the law can be broken again!

Unlike the demonstration two weeks ago, the Austrian Broadcasting Corporation was at least present. Whether the voice of at 10,000+ worried citizens will be heard remains to be seen.

More demonstrations are planned for both Friday and Saturday next week.