POLITICS
CEREMONY OF SIGNING OF EUROPEAN CONSTITUTION HELD IN ROME
The ceremony was opened under music of Beethoven. Speaking at the ceremony, Chairman of the Council of Ministers of Italy Silvio Berluscony, prime ministers of Ireland and the Netherlands Bertie Ahern and Jan Peter Balkenende told of value of the All-European Constitution, its role in adjustment of all-round connections between the member-states of the Union, have called citizens of these countries to ratify the first in the history of Europe the common Constitution.
Then, heads of 25 countries have signed the Constitution.
At the ceremony, there has been read out the letter of congratulations signed by the Secretary General of the Council of Europe Terry Davis, Chairman of Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe Peter Schieder and Chairman of the PACE Committee of Ministers, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Norway Ian Peterson. In the letter, this historical event has been named as “ the important period during integration of Europe”.
The president of France Jacque Chirac and the prime minister of the Great Britain Toni Blair have stated that in their countries, there would be carried out referendum on the question of ratification of the Constitution.
At the ceremony, there were country leaders of candidates for admission to the European Union - Turkey, Bulgaria, Romania and Croatia.
It has to be reminded that 47 years ago, on March 25, 1957, just in the Capitols the basis of the European Union has been founded. At that time, heads of the states of France, Germany, Italy, Belgium, Holland and Luxembourg signed the relevant document.