Lisbon changes would mean Austria referendum
Thursday, 26 June 2008 20:04Austrian Chancellor Alfred Gusenbauer has said that his government wants a referendum if the EU's Lisbon Treaty is modified in any way.
He said that any future changes to the treaty that affect Austrian interests must be decided in Austria by a referendum.
He added that a lot of people are under the impression that the EU is not concerned with their real problems but that it is interested above all in looking after itself.
Austria's parliament has already ratified the treaty, designed to streamline EU decision-making following enlargement of the bloc to 27 members.
The Social Democrats' European deputy, Hannes Swoboda, said earlier today that his party would have no problem if the treaty went ahead in its current form, despite the Irish No vote.
But he told Austrian news agency APA that any modification would have to be put to a referendum in Austria.
