Brussels, 28/05/2008 (Agence Europe) - Elmar Brok, German MEP (EPP-ED) and former chairman of the committee on foreign affairs, has “major concerns” about the Irish referendum on the Lisbon Treaty on 12 June. Controversial issues with no direct link to the new treaty (Irish farmers' discontent with the EU's negotiating position in the Doha round, trade unions' social demands, the debate on Ireland's fiscal sovereignty, etc) have featured in the referendum campaign and have meant that a victory for the 'yes' vote is far from being accomplished, Mr Brok told journalists on Wednesday. A failure in the referendum would be disastrous because other countries, particularly the UK, could decide to suspend or end their parliamentary ratification process. In that case, the very future of the EU would be at stake, said Mr Brok, who predicts, in the worst case, the creation of a hard core or vanguard of member states who could decide to go ahead with European integration alone. Although the Irish 'yes' camp seems to be gaining ground slightly (a survey published last week reported 41%, which is an increase of 3% compared to the previous poll), the number of those who intend to vote against the new treaty has also increased by 5% to 33%, at the expense of the 'undecided' camp. (H.B.)