Slovenian members of the European Parliament have expressed their backing for the EU constitution at a plenary debate on the document on Tuesday. The Slovenian MEPs are convinced that an overwhelming vote for the constitution in the European Parliament will be an important signal as EU member states begin ratifying the document.
According to the Slovenian MEPs, the European constitutional charter, on which all activities of the European Union will be based in the future, is a fundamental legal document that the EU needs in order to continue to function successfully.
The current treaties no longer suffice, Miha Brejc of the European People's Party (EPP), the largest faction in the European Parliament, said at debate. "The expansion of Europe has made this change necessary... The time has come for a robust constitutional and legal framework to be set," Brejc added.
Brejc said he was sure the document, which took many months to draft and adopt, as individual member states pushed forward with their interests, was a good compromise.
Another Slovenian MEP to weigh in with his opinion at debate was Borut Pahor of the European Socialists (PES). He said that this is a great opportunity for the European Parliament to speak up about the European constitution and to call on the citizens of the EU to back it.
Our message to the citizens of the European Union, whom we represent, is that the ratification of the constitution would truly be a great step forward in developing a common European home, Pahor stressed.
Pahor believes that a failure to adopt the constitution would threaten the goal of a common future and would be a big dent to Europe's hopes of becoming an influential international player.
The EU constitution will be ratified once all 25 member states pass ratification documents at home. Some members have decided to hold referendums on the matter, among them Great Britain, where the outcome of the vote is most uncertain.
Slovenia has not opted for a referendum and the Slovenian government has already sent the ratification bill to parliament for adoption at January's regular session, scheduled to be held later this month. The country is therefore likely to become one of the first EU member states to ratify the document.
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