If Macedonia ever gets in the EU

[Risto the Great]

Would the Ohrid agreement be (more) unconstitutional?

[Soldier of Macedon]

The Ohrid 'agreement' is a disgrace and should be abolished immediately. Albanians who want an 'Albania' should go the country next door.

[Diabolical]

I hope that the euro is not adopted... I love the denar

[Risto the Great]

I have been lobbying hard for the "Risto" to replace all currencies across the world.

Nothwithstanding this, I see that Germany is looking very closely at the Lisbon Treaty to see if it violates it's own constitution. We are talking about one of the pillars of the EU who is struggling with this and the Macedonian constitution appears to be something akin to toilet paper. So what chance of long term viability are we talking about in relation to the EU?

[Mr. MASO]

I hope that the euro is not adopted... I love the denar

Me too, It'll be a problem anyway

[Pelister]

I hope that the euro is not adopted... I love the denar

I do to. I think if there is going to be a new currency for Macedonia, it should be the stater.

[Jankovska]

I like GBP, Sterling all the way, wohooo

[Pelister]

I like GBP, Sterling all the way, wohooo

Actually, the pound sterling is the only currency, apart from the denar that I respect. Its a funny thing. I don't know why. I guess I value it more.

Risto, you have a point about the Ohrid agreement. I believe it was unconstitutional. I believe that a Macedonian citizen could mount a case in the high court, regarding this Treaty.

[Risto the Great]

The Ohrid agreement affords more rights to minorities than even Kosovo's new constitution does. How ridiculous is that? !

[Pelister]

The Ohrid agreement affords more rights to minorities than even Kosovo's new constitution does. How ridiculous is that? !

There is so much about the situation over there that is ridiculous. Why would owe name be open to negitiation? I always thought the the job of the government was to protect the people, and if the government turned traitorous, what then? The Constitution is a peoples document, it is there, to essentially protect them from rogue governments, or rogue individuals in governments. I know it sounds a bit conspiratorial and all of that, but in a healthy democracy that is what its all about for me.

I don't know much about the Kosovo costitution. I know there is something in it relating to minorities, but the last time I checked the UNMIK reports, and the reports from the E.U missions in Kosovo, I discovered that while they do actually recognize minorities, they do not recognize a Macedonian minority.

[Risto the Great]

Here it is:

http://www.kushtetutakosoves.info/?cid=2,245

[Jankovska]

surley it wouldn't, I thought once you enter the EU you follow their rules, laws etc which means you follow their minority human rights laws. But I am not sure

[Risto the Great]

I must read this matter in more detail, but I believe some local laws have sovereignty. Hence the German concerns about constitutional violations with the Lisbon treaty.

[Risto the Great]

New Lisbon divisions mar EU talks

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/8106300.stm

EU leaders have postponed further discussion of the troubled Lisbon Treaty amid a new rift over guarantees for the Republic of Ireland.

Irish PM Brian Cowen wants not only a legally binding EU political "decision", but also a protocol attached to the EU's founding treaty.

"This is necessary if I am to call, and win, a second referendum," he said in a letter to UK leader Gordon Brown.

Some EU countries fear reopening the debate may encourage treaty opponents.

The Lisbon Treaty is a complex set of institutional changes aimed at making the enlarged EU more efficient. It replaced the EU constitution, rejected by French and Dutch voters in 2005.

Supporters want to avoid any new round of referendums on it, after years of negotiations.

Opponents see the treaty as part of a federalist agenda aimed at weakening national sovereignty.

The EU leaders, meeting in Brussels, are also discussing tightening financial rules.

A proposal to nominate Jose Manuel Barroso for a second term as president of the European Commission was unanimously endorsed by all 27 EU leaders, diplomats said ahead of an official announcement.

Treaty wrangling

The Lisbon Treaty has been ratified in most EU countries and the second Irish referendum - expected to be in October - is the biggest remaining hurdle.

The Irish government says fears that the EU might be able to override Irish policies on military neutrality, tax and abortion were among factors prompting voters to reject the treaty in a referendum last year.

The EU guarantees - still under discussion - are designed to allay such fears.

Even though it has passed their parliaments, the Eurosceptic Czech and Polish presidents have refused to sign the treaty unless it passes the Irish referendum.

But the British Conservatives' pledge to hold a referendum, if elected, means pro-treaty governments now face a race against time, says the BBC's Laurence Peter in Brussels.

Sweden, which takes over the EU's rotating presidency next month, does not want any further delays over Lisbon. Referring to the Irish guarantees, Swedish Prime Minister Fredrik Reinfeldt said: "I just want to make sure it solves their problem without creating problems for anyone else."

Financial watchdog

EU officials say there is a deal in principle on a new EU-wide system of financial supervision, with even Mr Brown accepting the need for harmonised rules.

But the UK does not want the European Central Bank to have the key supervisory role in a new European Systemic Risk Board, which will look out for any threats to financial stability across the EU.

There are also concerns that new European regulators would be able to overrule a national government, for example by instructing it to bail out a particular firm.

The delegations are now working to establish the new supervisors' competencies, before the fine details are worked out by the Commission. Many of the delegations called for Commission proposals on financial regulation before September, the EU officials said.

The discussions centre on recommendations by an expert panel headed by Jacques de Larosiere, a former IMF managing director.

The leaders had the easier task of nominating the conservative Jose Manuel Barroso for a second term as EU Commission president.

He had no rival - and even had backing from some centre-left leaders.

Sweden's PM Fredrik Reinfeldt said: "This is not the time to make confusions in the EU leadership… he has broad support."

The summit will also touch on preparations for the UN conference on climate change, coming up in December.

The Czech Republic, chairing its last summit as EU president, wants the debate to focus on EU support for developing countries, to help them mitigate the effects of climate change.

Irish joke:
Q: What do the Irish say to the EU
A: Whatever the fuck they want.

And good on them.

[Giorikas]

Would the Ohrid agreement be (more) unconstitutional?

It would happen, because there is the Ohrid agreement.