The EU is not Europe

Citizens’ movement for a new EU referendum has started the ball rolling

hep/lb. On 9 June 2001, citizens from all parts of Austria calling for a referendum on EU membership gathered in front of the Western Railway Station in Vienna in order to give visible presence to their demands. With the action group 'Independent Platform for a Withdrawal from the EU'; sooner or later the question of EU membership will be put to the Austrian nation. Those who took part marched over the ‘Mariahilfe’ street to deliver their message in front of the Vienna State Opera. In the light of the recent ‘No to the Nice Treaty!’ votes in Ireland and the Euro referendum in Denmark, the true size of resistance to the centralist concept has shown itself. Half-hearted soapbox speeches from EU dependent politicians cannot so easily bring independent minded voters of the 21st century into line.

Messages of solidarity received from 13 countries

On the way to the Vienna State Opera the demonstrators carried flags from the 13 countries from which 30 different messages of solidarity and best wishes were received. Speakers represented many different interest groups ranging from the ‘Independent Austrian Farmers Association’ to the ‘Yes to the Environment and No to Nuclear Power’ group, and also included an Austrian representative of Current Concerns’ sister newspaper Zeit-Fragen. Afterwards, greetings from other groups in Germany, England, Ireland, France, Italy, Switzerland, Sweden, Finland, Slovakia, Poland, Hungary and Estonia were read out.

Parliamentary Hearing

Lawyer Rainer Rothe made clear with reference to the International Pact for Citizens Rights (19.12.1966 Art.1) and the Austrian Constitution that the citizens of Austria have an undeniable right to decide for themselves. The purpose of the demonstration was to make clear that those who took part demand this right and will strive to have it respected. Citations were presented from the book Die Euro-Illusion. Ist Europa noch zu retten? (The Euro Illusion–is it too late to save Europe?) by Professor Dr Karl Albrecht Schachtschneider. In his book Professor Schachtschneider shows with reference to the Euro that in all questions of far reaching consequence, the citizens have a right to vote.

Human chain as a symbol of solidarity

The demonstration procession marched to ‘Obere Belvedere’ castle where former Austrian foreign minister Leopold Figl had presented the freshly signed Austrian State Treaty to the Austrian people in 1955. In remembrance of this event, which had given Austria back its sovereignty and lent it the status of permanent neutrality, the participants formed a human chain and declared their intention to continue their co-operation towards an independent, democratic and neutral Austria.