The Irish people have rejected the Lisbon Treaty, voting no in a referendum held last week and once again killing the possibility of having a stronger Europe.

Three years ago, the Dutch and the French voted against the European Constitution, and the governments of the EU member states painstakingly sifted through its remains to come up with a more user-friendly treaty that would have given more power to the EU, as well as to small states such as Malta.

What the Irish people did last week is to stop Europe from developing and from having a common policy on important sectors such as foreign affairs.

I really cannot understand why the Irish – and the French and Dutch before them – chose to reject the Lisbon Treaty. The Irish are among the people who have benefited the most since their country joined the EU, and it is not justifiable that they repay the EU with a rejection.

It is a real pity that the citizens of the other 26 countries have to abide by the Irish “No”, which effectively means that the Lisbon Treaty cannot come into force.

If the Irish do not want to stay in the EU they should say so.

Paul Saliba

Mosta