Allister speaks on Berlin declaration
28 March 2007
Within 24 hours of his resignation from the DUP Jim Allister MEP was back speaking in the European Parliament. In a debate on the “Berlin Declaration”, issued to mark the 50th anniversary of the signing of the Treaty of Rome, Mr Allister returned to a familiar Euro-sceptic theme of resisting moves towards political union.
In the course of his remarks Mr Allister said:-
“When you peel away all the self-congratulatory verbage, this Berlin Declaration in reality amounts to very little of substance.
In pursuit of the central tenet of the Treaty of Rome of securing “ever closer union”, which this declaration celebrates, euro-fanatics had seen it as a key landmark in relaunching the rejected Constitution.
When it came the declaration wasn’t even able to mention the Constitution. Instead it peddled all the old nonsense about the EU being the peace machine of Europe. NATO, not the EU, can take most credit for the defence, return and promotion of freedom and democracy in Europe.
The idea of European cooperation is not in question, it is the means and ultimate purpose which divides. Eurosceptics believe in the benefits of voluntary mutual cooperation between sovereign nation states. What we reject is the orchestration of such by a grasping, centralising EU for the purpose of forcing an unwanted political integration upon the citizens of those nation states. This declaration clings to that goal and, therefore, it is flawed.”
