Brussels, 17/03/2008 (Agence Europe) - The Polish government may decide to ratify the Lisbon Treaty by referendum should the main opposition party at the Diète, the Law and Justice Party (PiS) headed by former Prime Minister Jaroslaw Kaczynski, carry out its threat of blocking parliamentary ratification of the new EU treaty. “I still hope that PiS leaders will assume their responsibility to reach the balanced situation that Poland needs”, said Prime Minister Donald Tusk speaking to reporters after the European Council on 14 March in Brussels. If this does not happen, “a referendum would be the last solution”, he added.
Last week, Mr Kaczynski had threatened to block ratification of the Lisbon Treaty if the text of the ratification law, proposed by the government, was not amended. According to Kaczynski and the PiS, the ratification law should specify that the many exemptions and special arrangements negotiated by Poland within the IGC cannot be brought into question by a Polish government without the prior agreement of the parliament and president of Poland. He also calls for account to be taken of the absolute primacy of the Polish constitution on the EU treaty. Ratification of the treaty by Poland must be voted by qualified two-thirds majority of the 460 deputies. The PiS has a little over one third of the seats (159), which is sufficient to block ratification. The PiS' attitude is “very bad for Poland”, said Mr Tusk. “Jaroslaw Kaczynski has shown proof of extreme irresponsibility, by calling into question the fundamental interests of Poland”, he deplored. (H.B.)