Brussels, 25/10/2004 (Agence Europe) - In order to prevent the rejection of the Constitution by some or other Member States of the EU from plunging Europe into "paralysis", Italy should play a "leadership role, as the treaty was signed in Rome and we will probably be the first country to ratify it, and put pressure on the European partners so that before the start of the ratification process, every Head of Government would commit to decide within a certain period of time whether they wished to continue in the EU with the new Constitution, or leave it altogether, if their country rejects the Treaty", said the European Commissioner for Competition, Mario Monti, in an interview with La Repubblica of 23 October. In other words, "anyone rejecting the Treaty of Rome II of 2004 would also come out of the Treaty of Rome I of 1957". He feels that the idea of creating a "hardcore" among a few countries should the ratification not be unanimous is unworkable, as opt-outs are possible from various policies, but not from institutions. The Constitution "changes the institutional lay-out of Europe, which should be shared between all its members" because "co-ownership will not work if one regulation is applied to certain co-owners and another to the others". Mr Monti stated that the European Union is not a prison, and that "nobody should be forced to stay in it": if a country cannot see the advantages of belonging to the EU, then "it is better for it to leave". However, he recognised that many countries "may vote no [to the Constitution] without wanting to quit the EU. And this should not be possible". For this reason, says Mr Monti, "it should be clear in each country that saying no to the ratification of the Treaty does not mean bogging Europe down in non-functioning, but a free choice, coherent with European dynamism: that of leaving the Union to avoid condemning all the others to powerlessness. This seems to me to be a criterion of fair play and political honesty, which is the least we can expect between Community partners".