Lisbon Treaty developments

In Ireland as part of an economic austerity programme a Forum for discussion of the treaty has been scrapped as an economy measure over protests from Libertas, link here. In an Opinion piece by Roger Cole in the Irish Times the dangers of the militarisation of the EU are spelt out and a demand for increased guarantees of Irish Neutrality, which seem legally impossible within the Treaty as drafted, are well worth reading and of considerable concern for EU citizens outside of Ireland, link here. The article concludes: Jn January 1919 the first Dáil reflected the anti-imperialist values of the people. In October 2009 the political/media elite will find those values are still as powerful as ever. EurActiv reports that pessimism reigns following the appointment of the new Czech Prime Minister, Civil Servant, Jan Fischer, as Prime Minister. (Historically this may well be significant as the EU moves to consolidate its centralising totalitarian powers by installing puppet bureaucrats in difficult situations). The fact that EurActiv finds this cause for pessimism as a fanatically pro-EU outlet is the sole consoling factor in this event. Note this in particular : The deal also appears to allow eurosceptic President Václav Klaus to chair the June EU summit, where Ireland is expected to report on plans to hold a second referendum on the Lisbon Treaty. The Irish Times also has a report on the new Czech PM, linked here.