Though not an Irishman, I feel obliged to seek the indulgence of your newspaper; for the second Irish referendum on the Lisbon treaty is assuredly an international issue, the impact of which will be critical as far as the future of our old continent is concerned.

As a Greek, a citizen of a European Union country, I cannot see the reason why a second referendum must be held in Ireland. One has already taken place and the majority of voters clearly expressed themselves: a resounding No to the Lisbon treaty!

And there was no reason even for the first referendum to be held.

Before the first Irish referendum was held, the French and the Dutch had already rejected, through their vote, the essence of that famous treaty.

In other words, it is clear that a nucleus of power is pushing for referendum after referendum to be held, simply to render the peoples of Europe exhausted and, in that way, to gain their consent to the adoption of the Lisbon treaty. Why?

Be that as it may. The main point concerning the application of the Lisbon treaty is that it will bring about the total destruction of national statehoods. As a matter of fact, such are already partially destroyed.

The total destruction, nevertheless, of national statehoods may still be regarded by a lot of people as a merely theoretical issue; but it cannot be regarded as a merely theoretical issue if one has in mind that such a development would jeopardise the very existence of the middle social strata, which, truth to tell, had (by means of their sacrifices) built up Europe's national statehoods in the first place.

Were these statehoods destroyed, Europe's population would be divided into two social strata: that of the very rich who would be able, thanks to their wealth, to protect their property and life; and that of the very poor, the vast majority who, despite their skills, would form an enormous 'pool of slaves' at the disposal of the rich.

Symptoms of a development in that sense and direction are already visible in southern Europe: young people are doomed to take and perform humiliating jobs, which they agree to undertake because of the Damoclean Sword of unemployment hanging over them; and needless to say those humiliating jobs
as a rule imply humiliating social conditions and thus a humiliating existence.

Having this in mind, one can easily grasp the point that the riots which have been continually taking place in Athens since last December, with fatalities among both protesters and the police, are most likely a sign of an impending storm.

Nonetheless, the vast majority of European citizens have the impression that the application of the Lisbon treaty will not have any impact on their everyday life.

Quite the contrary will be the case. The political scene will be completely changed if the Lisbon treaty is applied: in the Europe envisaged by that famous treaty, instead of a rather weak executive power European countries will be run by a very strong one, which will have virtually no bond with the people's will.

Today it is still possible for a citizen to complain to a member of "his" parliament, to a minister of "his" government, to "his" prime minister, Irish, Greek, whatever, if necessary; but tomorrow whom will we Europeans address? An unapproachable, immovable power? This may well be so.

The future does seem dark; not only for us citizens but for Europe, too.

For if our old – and glorious – continent were to be united through forced polls, the result would likely be a fast collapse.

Please have this in mind when you go again to the polls next October.

Dimitris Michalopoulos,

25 Ypsilantou Str,

GR-10675 Athens,

Greece