No. 5

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Estonia’s constitution and the EU referendum

  • Igor Gräzin

    Member of the Riigikogu, Estonian Reform Party

The fact that Estonia’s possible accession to the EU will be accompanied by changes in the foundations of our statehood is now widely accepted. Leaving the constitution unamended is not considered a possibility by either the pro-Europe camp or the Euroskeptics.

Justice minister Märt Rask’s April 29 letter in Postimees, entitled “A membership decision cannot be obtained from the people through deceit” is a momentous piece fundamentally, sociopolitically, ethically. Because of this, foreign minister Kristina Ojuland’s position is also worthy of support: that the constitution can be changed, but only after it becomes clear whether the people are willing to join the EU. The correct referendum question from a legal standpoint would be the following: “Are you willing to concede Estonia’s current independence when Estonia enters the EU?”

An affirmative answer would mean that Estonia would cease to exist as we know it, but the people would remain sovereign (the right to defend oneself, to self-determination and other rights being inalienable).

Full article in Estonian

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