EURO-CONSTITUTIONS
MIROSŁAW PIOTROWSKI
The words ‘We, the nation’ begin the constitution of the USA enacted over 200 years ago (in 1787), written on a dozen pages as 7 articles. It has been actualized for years in a form of addedamendments and there are 27 of them. A few years after the American constitution, in 1791 the famous Polish Constitution of 3 May was passed. It presented ‘ national religion’, and any kind of authority was derived from the ‘will of the nation’. The Constitution, that is, the basic act is the most important legal act of every country which accepts it. Builders of the European Union, aiming at building a super European country based on the USA, also started dreaming about the European Constitution. A thick volume was prepared which counts 482 pages (Polish version), and is entitled ‘A treaty establishing constitution for Europe’. In 2005 ( quite carelessly) nations of Europe were allowed to express their opinions about it. In the democratic referendum in France and Holland people said ‘no’ to the euro-constitution. It was a pot of cold water poured on feverish heads of euro-enthusiasts who had not foreseen such a scenario. Frustration was stronger that France and Holland are founding countries of European Communities. After announced period of reflections which lasted for a year, EU decision-makers decided to downsize the text, not calling it euro-constitution and not taking risks in national consultations. It was how the Lisbon treaty was created – in fact the truncated version of euro-constitution. Only in one country of the Union – Ireland, was it subjected to verification in the referendum where it had a defeat. Despite the rules, the Irish were forced to retake part in voting, announcing that they would do it till it was effective. The euro-constitution imposed by force gave the legal personality to the European Union – the Union whose majority of citizens are not likely to speak ‘We, the nation’.
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"Niedziela" 18/2014