Event at the IGC in Brussels

ERC activists stood up in the middle of the night to prepare the IGC-event. Thanks to Fred and Sonia from WIT Belgium we had the permission to blow up the 7m high inflatable display at the Schuman Place next to the European Council where the Intergovernmental Conference took place.

Just in time, before the chiefs of government and heads of state arrived at the European Council, the 7m high inflatable display was blown up. All the delegations had to pass and see the display demanding: "EU Constitution ONLY BY FAIR REFERENDA".

The activists worked risking their lives and with the help of the European Commission which gave us not only the permission to blow up the display but also a ladder. Due to the persisting bad weather little repairs were necessary to keep the message visible for all people passing by and for the media.

In the afternoon the ERC activists were joined by Iranian demonstrators. Though they only shouted: "Democracy for Iran" instead of: "Democracy International" the presence of both groups increased the interest of the media, a typical win-win situation.

The ERC activists stayed with the display until deep in the night. It was illuminated by lights with changing colours, which gave the IGC-event a romantic touch.

Thanks to the help of the friendly police we were protected from the curious journalists in the white tent. Everybody who finds the two snipers protecting the display will get one of the ERC postcards for free;-)) The policemen were even so friendly to remove their car after we told them that the TV cameras needed a free view on the display and gave us some coffee, soup and waffles.

Three ERC activists on the other side of the barrier with barbed wire. To get from the free world where the display stood into the protected area where the IGC took place everybody had to show their accreditation. These orange ones shown by these beautiful young ladies enabled them to walk in the protected area but not to get into the European Council. Nevertheless these ladies witnessed an interview with the Polish Prime Minister Leszek Miller right in front of the European Council. Tom who had an accreditation as an journalists was inside the European Council and gave us brand new information about the developments of the negotiations on the IGC.

On Saturday, the second day of the IGC Sonia from WIT Belgium had arranged an interview with the Belgian Prime Minister, Guy Verhofstadt, right in front of the display. He is in favour of the referendum on the EU Constitution in Belgium. She and Heiko talked to the very cooperative police in order to guarantee his security at the display.

The question was: "Will he really visit us?"

Waiting for Mr. Verhofstadt. The participants of the Day of Action on 6th of december visited the display where all the events were presented on a board. Milos Hettes, in the middle of the picture, organised one of the very successful events in Slovakia.

Normunds Grotstiņš who also organised a very successful event on the ERC Day of Action in Latvia visited the display with his wife

As it was raining cats and dogs and the wind was very strong, the display needed a lot of cosmetic operations. The air was let out of the display and the ERC surgeons did not only save its life but also guaranteed that all people passing by and the media could see and read the inscriptions "EU Constitution ONLY BY FAIR REFERENDA".

In marked contrast to the chiefs of governments and heads of states in the IGC, the ERC activists took not only care of the EU Constitution but repaired it and tried their best to keep it alive in order to pass it to the people and let them decide on it in fair referenda.

But then the message reached us that the top-level negotiations on the IGC collapsed and the finalisation of the EU Constitution failed because an agreement on the future qualified majority voting system could not be reached.

After the collapse of the IGC and the final dinner of the chiefs of governments and heads of states the police opened the barrier with barbed wire in order to let them pass with their delegations. A lot of limousines passed the display and had the warning hint to let the people decide on the future of Europe after they reach an agreement on the draft EU Constitution next year.

Though we got a telephone call saying Mr. Verhofstadts meanwhile decided not to visit the display because of the collapsed IGC, we stood together celebrating this glorious IGC-event of the ERC giving a toast on the people of Europe who will decide on their future in Europe in fair referenda as Democracy International will go on fighting for this fundamental right of the people of Europe.