Prime Minister Dr. Ivo Sanader: EU Constitution Empowers Croatia

The following is a translation of Prime Minister Dr. Ivo Sanader’s remarks following the signing of the EU Constitution Treaty in Rome. The Prime Minister’s text appeared in the Croatian weekly Globus.

ROME, Italy, October 29, 2004 – After signing the Constitutional Treaty, governments of EU member countries, together with candidate countries for membership in the European Union, reached a consensus on the ideological and legal framework of the process of further integration on our continent. Once the treaty establishing the European Constitution is ratified in member countries, one will be able to say that a new foundation of the European Union with the aim of strengthening cooperation among member countries and EU institutions, has been established.

Succinctly, it could be said that a great majority of European countries, including Croatia, are aiming to systematically create a bond among each other in order to better prepare themselves for a new phase of globalization. To a careful observer of international events, today it is all the more evident that in the near future a small number of large centers of economic and political power will dictate key trends of development in the world. If it should occur that at this moment European nations do not integrate into one powerful international entity under the name ‘European Union,’ they will not have many possibilities in regard to controlling their own fates, instead, they will find themselves prone to influence due to others’ interests and without a mechanism of protection and facilitation of their own needs and goals.

AN APPLAUSE FOR CROATIA

The notion that European integration is in the national interest of EU member states is one of the main catalysts for the European unification process. Croatian policymakers recognized the described circumstances in the world, and on the basis of political consensus in Croatian society they have successfully integrated Croatia into the process of European integration.

Signatories to the Constitutional Treaty of the European Union were heads of state, government and ministers of foreign affairs of 25 EU member countries, and the Final Act of the Intergovernmental Conference, which prepared the text of the Constitutional Treaty, was signed by representatives of governments of Bulgaria, Romania and Turkey, since these candidate countries have in the role of observers participated in the work of this body. Due to the fact that Croatia did not yet receive candidate status at the time of the Intergovernmental Conference session, it was arranged for Croatia to participate at the signing ceremony by way of issuing a special statement.

Following the signing of the Constitutional Treaty, I presented the above mentioned statement to Dutch Prime Minister Jan Peter Balkenende, President of the EU Council, in the presence of Minister of Foreign Affairs Dr. Miomir Zuzul. The statement expressed support to the signing of the Constitutional Treaty.

By way of this statement we relayed that the Republic of Croatia shares the values, goals and principles encompassed in the Constitutional Treaty, and that it considers it to be an invaluable step in the continuous development of a common European lifestyle and future. Through our statement we have once more expressed our readiness to begin EU membership negotiations and that we will contribute to this large project of European integration, and empowerment of societies based on the principles of peace, freedom, democracy, respect for human rights, rule of law, security, solidarity and economic progress.

The presentation of Croatia’s document was accompanied by loud applause, to the extent that equaled that of other delegations during their signing of the Constitutional Treaty.

EUROPEAN LAWS

All European delegations highlighted the fact that Croatia belongs in the European family of nations and it was clear that Croatia’s entrance into the EU is no longer in question. It was noted that Croatia is integrating into the EU with enviable speed as a result of successful government policies. 

Signing of the EU Constitutional Treaty is a big step forward in the process of European integration. Four years ago, the European Parliament passed a resolution that called for establishing a EU Constitution. The resolution was an outline of the Constitution and it recommended that a body be established that would prepare the Constitutional Treaty. For the first time ever in the history of the EU, representatives of parliaments and governments of member-states, the European Parliament and the European Commission – i.e., 105 members from 25 countries – discussed publicly the suggested outline of the Constitution, and they formulated the text that was, subsequently, and after certain amendments, accepted by the European Council. In contrast to prior conferences on the head-of-state level, discussions at the convention were fully transparent and were marked by interaction of all representatives of civil society, who were able to participate without restrictions.

DUAL LEGITIMACY

The Constitution strengthens the political and institutional system of the EU, and it paves the way to a more democratic, efficient and transparent Union.

The European Union will be more democratic because the European Parliament and the Ministerial Council will jointly adapt almost all of Europe’s legislation, and Europeans will be able to directly invoke European laws for the first time, within the framework of a supranational organization.

The Union will be ever more efficient because more decisions will be reached by, one could say, a qualified majority. Simultaneously, the dual majority system will ease the burden of the Council and will maintain dual legitimacy of the Union, which is comprised of peoples and states.

The Union will also be more transparent due to new mechanisms installed with the purpose of fostering a participative democracy.

Legislative proceedings of the Union have also been simplified and given greater legitimacy. They have been simplified because the ways and means of the Union have been expanded to almost all other legal documents, while the number of proceedings and legal instruments has been reduced. European laws will be European both in their shape and scope. Greater legitimacy will come because the division of legislative powers between the Union and member countries will be clearer, and due to the fact that national parliaments will ensure that a subsidiary system be maintained. 

The Constitutional Treaty stands above all existing treaties. Clear steps in the right direction that have been installed by the Constitution are reflected by the innovative content on the field of social benefits, which are now recognized as primary legislation, and new social clauses.

Dual legitimacy is now the foundation of the Union: legitimacy of member states that are represented in the Council, and the legitimacy of citizenry that is represented in Parliament.

With the adaptation of the Charter on Essential Rights, which was pushed by the Parliament, the Treaty received its own charter that is the most comprehensive and modern of its kind in the world.

A EUROPEAN FUTURE

The Constitutional Treaty opens the way to more security and progress for citizens of Europe, and the law of the more powerful no longer stands in Europe, but a consensus among states and peoples who wish to live side-by-side, a wish that is not imposed on them by anyone. The Constitutional Treaty strengthens individual nations and their cultures and does not endanger the identities of particular peoples.

European Union member countries now have to ensure the ratification of the Constitutional Treaty. The ratification process must be completed within the next two years. Particular member-states have decided to hold a referendum on this matter, while ratification by others will take place in parliaments.

Because the greatest responsibility in regard to ratifying the Constitution will be placed on governments of countries that are signatories to this agreement, European institutions will play their own role in providing objective information to Europe’s citizens on the content of the Constitution. The ratification process will not be simple, since referendums on the Constitution will take place in some EU countries. However, given adequate enthusiasm and determination on the part of member-state governments, the ratification process is bound to be successful.

I am confident that Croatian citizens will back the EU Constitution at a referendum, once Croatia successfully completes EU accession negotiations, just as they will support Croatia’s long-term European perspective.