Pope triggers U-turn as Poles look set for huge referendum ‘Yes’

Date: 28/05/03

By David Cronin

THE Pope's recent plea for his fellow Poles to back EU membership appears to be having the desired effect.

In the past week one of the most influential priests voicing some of the strongest criticism of the Union has done a U-turn.

Father Tadeusz Rydzyk is director of the ultra-conservative Radio Maryja which has been accused of scaremongering about the EU to the point of claiming that it will foist homosexuality on Poland.

But John Paul II's call for a 'Yes' vote in next weekend's referendum (7-8 June) has now prompted Rydzyk to rally behind the 'Yes' campaign.

"If the Holy Father says something, then we do not debate with the Holy Father," he told listeners.

Bishops in the predominantly Catholic country are planning a last-minute push to encourage a high turnout among their flock.

The Polish Episcopal Conference has agreed a text to be read out at Mass throughout Poland this Sunday (1 June). It states: "Every Polish man and woman, especially Christian, should take part in the referendum, as they are responsible for the future of Poland and the place of the Polish nation in the European family."

An opinion poll, commissioned by newspaper Rzeczpospolita, found that of the 56 eligible voters planning to vote, 80 are set to mark 'Yes' on their ballot papers and only 14 'No'.

After Poland will be the Czech Republic, which holds its referendum on 15-16 June. Budget Commissioner Michaele Schreyer visited Prague last week, with the promise of rewards for 'Yes' voters. Fresh estimates in Brussels, she said, suggested that the Czech contribution to the EU in the early stages of its membership will be lower than forecast at last December's Copenhagen summit.

As a result, the amount the Czechs will receive as net beneficiaries from the budget will be €100 million more per annum than previously thought.

With government and opposition forces all advocating a 'Yes' vote, the Czech poll looks certain to be carried.

The omens also look bright in Estonia. Its new leader Juhan Parts, at 36 the youngest premier in Europe, was fêted in Brussels last week.

A Tallinn newspaper suggests that the success of the country's 14 September referendum will depend much on whether Parts' government can continue to score high popularity ratings.

Parts is pledging that any publicly funded pre-referendum information will be neutral, so any partisan campaigns will have to be waged by political parties or non-governmental groups. His Union for the Republic (Res Publica) is allocating about €130,000, while the opposition

Fatherland Alliance intends to spend just €20,000 on its campaign, indicating party coffers have not been replenished after the general election earlier this year.

Referendum fever has yet to grip neighbouring Latvia, but Riga-based correspondents are likely to focus more on EU affairs now that the Eurovision Song Contest, held in the Baltic city last Saturday, is over.

Turkey triumphed - but the prospect of its own EU membership referendum still looks some way off.

The Polish population is expected to vote in favour of EU membership in the referendum to be held on 7-8 June 2003 after Pope John Paul II urged his countrymen to vote 'Yes'.