DENMARK:Denmark will not hold a planned referendum this year on its exemptions from the European Union because of the Irish rejection of the Lisbon Treaty, prime minister Anders Fogh Rasmussen said in an interview published yesterday.
"We had originally said there might be an EU discussion in the autumn and maybe a referendum. Because of the Irish referendum the situation is so opaque that this is no longer relevant," Mr Rasmussen told the daily Jyllands-Posten.
Denmark has already ratified the Lisbon Treaty, but the centre-right government had planned public votes on adopting the euro currency and on abandoning its opt-outs from some types of EU co-operation before its mandate expires in December 2011.
Mr Rasmussen told the paper he still hoped to hold a referendum during his mandate but could not promise one. "We still believe the opt-outs harm Denmark. The correct thing would be to allow the people to have their say during this mandate. But it is too early yet to say what a new time plan could be as long as the Irish situation has not been solved."
Irish voters rejected the Lisbon Treaty in a referendum in June. Most EU members have ratified it, but all 27 must do so before it can take effect.
Mr Rasmussen said he would still use today's Liberal Party congress to talk to prominent EU opponents and supporters, but it would not be the start of a referendum campaign.
Danish voters rejected the Maastricht Treaty in 1992 but approved it a year later. - ( Reuters)