"A triumph of ignorance"
Baron (Neil) Kinnock of Bedwelty,
speaking on BBC1 about the French referendum result. Apparently not
knowing that a copy of the EU Constitution was delivered to every
household and the 'No' vote increased soon afterwards.
"The
French people are voting on everything except the contents of the
new EU treaty itself"
Denis MacShane MP,
former Europe Minister, in an article in the Independent pre-empting
a French 'No' vote, also not knowing that books on the EU Constitution
had been topping the bestsellers list in France for weeks.
"There is almost certainly an information deficit and efforts
will have to be made to explain things more clearly to citizens"
Francoise le Bail, chief European Commission
spokesperson, displaying the typical EU-fantical arrogance of being
unable to conceive that perhaps people are perfectly well informed
and they just don't like the EU's march to greater integration.
"If
we were to add up the votes of those who wanted 'more Europe' as a
'yes', then I think that we would have had a 'yes' vote"
Jean-Claude Juncker, Luxembourg Prime
Minister and current EU president
"No single member state has a veto over a constitutional treaty of
this sort,"
Peter Mandelson,
EU Commissioner for trade, reacting completely inaccurately to the
French vote.
"A majority who said 'no' are favourable to the whole European
project. It is not that they have said no to the idea of European
integration. It is not a rejection of the European project".
Margot Wallstrom,
EU Commissioner for communications
"The European Constitution was the victim and not the subject"
Valery Giscard d'Estaing,
former French president and chief architect of the EU Constitution,
reacting to the Dutch referendum result and blaming the Dutch political
system.
"Turkey has fulfilled its commitments and then the EU will fulfil
its commitment and we will start the negotiations as planned"
Olli Rehn, EU
Commissioner for enlargement
"I remain...of the view the ratification process must be able
to continue"
Jean-Claude Juncker,
Luxembourg Prime Minister and current EU president
"I
will not give up working for this constitution, for a united Europe"
Gerhard Schroder,
former German chancellor
"We
have a range of contradictory reasons behind the 'no' vote...we need
to continue with our ambitious projects"
Jean-Claude Juncker,
Luxembourg Prime Minister and current EU president
"The countries that have said 'no' will have to ask themselves
the question again"
Jean-Claude Juncker,
Luxembourg Prime Minister and current EU president, speaking before
the French referendum
"What is of crucial importance now is that we keep on working as we
did before"
Javier Solana,
EU foreign affairs representative, speaking after the French referendum
"This service will definitely come into existence sooner or later."
Javier Solana,
EU foreign affairs representative, speaking about the EU diplomatic
service - a key new provision of the EU Constitution - after the French
'No' vote.
"The outcome of the referendum is a setback for the process of
ratifying the constitution, but not its end"
Gerhard Schroder,
former German chancellor
"This is still an efficient instrument to ensure that the progress
of the expanded Union continues"
Gianfranco Fini,
Italian foreign minister
"European construction is a grand project and will overcome obstacles,
as Europe is not the problem but the solution"
Jose Zapatero,
Spanish prime minister
"We need to reflect and listen to these signals of apprehension.
But at the same time we need to continue tenaciously with the European
project"
Romano
Prodi, Italian
Prime Minister
