The Hindu : International : Poland to go ahead with referendum

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Tuesday, Jun 07, 2005

International

International

Poland to go ahead with referendum

WARSAW: Poland plans to proceed with a referendum on the European Union Constitution, despite the British Government's decision to shelve its vote following French and Dutch rejections of the charter, government leaders said on Monday.

``Poland should say in a referendum what it thinks,'' President Aleksander Kwasniewski told reporters.

``This is a matter of our co-responsibility for what happens in Europe. We are too big of a nation, we are too important in the new Europe, to not to say what we think about the treaty and the entire European perspective,'' Mr. Kwasniewski said.

Foreign Minister Adam Rotfeld said the referendum should be held ``the sooner the better'' and that he would like to see it take place on October 9 along with presidential elections to ensure high turnout.

Poland was the largest of 10 countries that joined the bloc in May 2004 and Mr. Rotfeld said membership had given the country an economic boost.

``We should continue this journey, because the year that we have been in the European Union has proved to be profitable for Poland, for Poland's growth,'' he said.

The decision came after Mr. Kwasniewski discussed the issue with legislators, members of independent organisations and representatives of the influential Roman Catholic Church.

The Government decided it was worthwhile going ahead with a vote, despite word earlier in the day that Britain would put off indefinitely holding a referendum in light of the Dutch and French rejections. — AP

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