30/05/2008 (Agence Europe) - On Friday 30 May, François Fillon hoped the “yes”-vote would carry the Irish referendum of 12 June on the Lisbon Treaty, AFP reports. “I hope everyone will ratify the treaty because I think it is the road to wisdom. But in no way do I wish to influence the decisions of a sovereign people”, the French prime minister said during a press conference in Helsinki where he had just presented the future EU Presidency's priorities to his Finnish counterpart, Matti Vanhanen. “I do not wish to make any judgement about the choice made by the Irish people. It is their choice. Any attempt at pressurising them would have an adverse effect”, he said, before going on to add: “Quite simply, my wish is that, during the French EU Presidency, all states will ratify the Lisbon Treaty so that we can really put this question of institutional organisation behind us”. (O.J.)