The Workers’ Party have welcomed the refusal of the Polish President Lech Kaczynksi to ratify the Lisbon Treaty saying that the Polish head of state had done what the Irish government should have done immediately after the rejection of the Lisbon Treaty.

Workers’ Party Lisbon Treaty campaign director Padraig Mannion said that Mr. Kaczyński had shown more respect for the democratic decision of the Irish people than our own government and most of the opposition parties here.

“This decision means that the European Union cannot now fast-track a second referendum on the Lisbon Treaty and it renders the process of ratification in remaining EU member states as a way of pressuring Ireland a meaningless and insulting gesture. The Workers’ Party now calls on the Irish government to belatedly accept that the Lisbon Treaty is dead and any further moves towards a second Irish referendum must now end”, said Mr. Mannion.

"The Workers' Party would be diametrically opposed to Mr. Kaczynski's political outlook on many levels, but he has at least recognised that the Lisbon Treaty is dead".

Issued Tuesday, 1st July 2008

Note: It now appears that Mr. Kaczynski has clarified his comments and says he will only ratify the Lisbon Treaty in Poland if Ireland votes for it in a second referendum and that this should be held without duress.  While we would agree with that there should be no duress, we fundamentally oppose the holding of a second Irish referendum as the people have democratically decided to reject the Lisbon Treaty - it is dead and any attempt to revive it amounts to an attack on democracy and on the sovereign will of the Irish people.