[Skybird]

I do not constantly track these things, respenus, it is not my profession. however, you could use the search function, General Topics forum, for "Roman Herzog", which lists some threads of the past were I mentioned him, but this is probbaly not much different than what I say here, since I repeat that old arguments of hoim that I quoted back then. When the Lisbon dictate was noit yet decided, I had spend some time to fly, just that, over the appendices, but for a novice like us all here it is almost impossible to scan and understand that monster in full. Back then, and again now, I made it clear tthat I trust and follow the biting criticism of it that come from people whom I trust to know it much better than you or me will ever do, and especially I refer to the names Giscard-d'Estaing, Helmut Schmit and Roman Herzog. Schmidt and Giscard-dÈstaing are close friends and legitimately can be seen as two of the founding fathers of the EEC. Herzog is a legal experts specialised in german constitution and international and european laws. All three men have served in highest political offices, for long time. If such people with that reputation and competence (Herzog and Schmidt also known for their razor-sharp intellects) start to hack away at the EU, then this means much more than anything contemporary fun-manager sof poltics have to sa yin order to manipulate the cowds in a pro-EU fashion. I sometimes think of Schmidt less as a politician and more as the last true statesman we have had not only in Germany, but in all of Europe. The band of names that now dominate the politcal stage, is a band of hilarious narcissists.

My sources on these people'S comments on the matter mainly were German TV (both news magazines as well as dedicated politc programs), some books (though not on Lisbon), and in case of Herzog a regular column he had until last year in a German newspaper, Die Zeit or Die Welt it was, I think. Also interviews of all three in press, TV, radio.

My attack on Lisbon is like a that abger of a lfight guest in aplane compölaijg about the pilot loitering needlessly in the air, bumping on toiuch-down, flying turns in an uncoordinated manner which makes them a physical ly very unpleasant experience, etc. Such a guest may not know the basic of gaining a pilot's licence, but still he has all right and competence to judge whether the glight was a pleasdant one or the pilot made things worse than needed. This guest is even more legitimised in his opinion when on the ground senior pilots explain en detail where their collegue had failed, and what consequences that had. No, I do not know the 640 megawork of the treaty in detail, I have red the orignal treaty in full, and spend two hours or so to skim through the appendices. But the basis of my criticism stems from insightful comments of experts whom for varying reasons I trust to know and undeedastand it. I listen to them and then try to form an opinion whether or not what they say makes sense to me or not.

That is ion principle the only way us novices, you and me included, can deal with things like this. And I must say, Schmidt, Giscard-d'Estaing and Herzog, especially the latter, have marked very, very serious points regarding where Europe has completely derailed and lost it's orginial intention.

Needless to say that my input on this primarily is in German, and that I do not record and save all the many TV programs and news snippets, biuts and opieces that one happens to perceive when using any media unsystematically, privately.

That's as best an answer to your request for links I can give you. But i cannot imagine that only these three guys are critical of the EU. There must be many critics of English and Slowenian language as well who can copmpetently adress the issue without pushing an agenda of their own, and can mark the critical points in the lisbon treaty. I just do not know them - and why should I know all of them...?