Brussels, 11/12/2008 (Agence Europe) - Irish businessman Declan Ganley, who orchestrated the Irish no campaign against the Lisbon Treaty, announced in Brussels on Thursday 11 December 2008 that he was setting up a new pan-European political movement, Libertas, to fight the increasingly anti-democratic moves by the European institutions. Libertas describes itself as centrist, pro-European and moderate. It is planning to field candidates in all 27 Member States for the June 2009 European elections, which Ganley wants to see turned into a 'European referendum' against the Lisbon Treaty. Declan Ganley said that by refusing to accept the French and Dutch no votes on the European Constitution in 2005 and the Irish no vote on the Lisbon Treaty in June of this year, the 'Brussels establishment' had shown its true 'antidemocratic nature.' By fielding candidates across the EU in 2009, Libertas wants to offer all citizens 'what Brussels is refusing them, namely a referendum on Europe,' Libertas does not want people to confuse it with Eurosceptics who are anti-Europe. On the contrary, we are pro-European, explained Ganley at a press conference, adding that Libertas has a vision to change Europe, to make it strong but based on 'democracy, transparency and responsibility' He refused to give any details of Libertas' political programme, which will not be forthcoming until Libertas holds a congress sometime 'in the spring'. o details were forthcoming about possible candidates in the different Member States. Libertas is not trying to associate itself with existing political parties. Instead it will field its own candidates from various political
circles and beliefs, explained Ganley, who has not yet decided whether to stand himself. He said he was in active talks with people like Philippe de Villiers in France, whom he hopes to win over to his campaign. Libertas aims to be a people's movement, backed by voluntary activists and funded by private donations from individuals (Ganley compared his approach with the highly successful presidential election campaign of Barack Obama in the United States). To this end, a website was launched on Thursday: http://www.libertas.eu . (H.B. trans fl)