EUReview & Call to Prayer (EURCP)
Our
primary purpose is not to
advocate issues, but a call to prayer about issues - issues that
might impact the Christian community of
__________________________________________________________________________________
ARTICLES
with links included and prayer requests
Ratification of the Constitution
- state of play
MEPs say 'yes' to EU Constitution
For the EU, the hard part
'No' campaign calls for fair
referendums
Mental health moves higher up EU
agenda
Diamandouros continues as European ombudsman – personal EU contact
The Word to pray [1 Timothy 2: 1
"Therefore I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers,
intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men, 2 for kings and all
who are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all
godliness and reverence." [Prayers that implement God’s Word]. John 15: 5 “I am the
vine, you are the branches. He who ABIDES in Me, and I in him, bears much
fruit; for without Me you can do nothing. If you ABIDE in Me, and My Words ABIDE in
you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you” [The
conditions for freedom] 2Chronicles
7:14” if My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray
and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from
heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.”
*********************
Ratification of the Constitution - state
of play
EU member states
are anxious to follow in the footsteps of Lithuania
and Hungary, which have already ratified the new European Constitution,
and also Italy, where the issue has already cleared the parliament's lower
house.
Referenda on EU
Constitution - let the people vote?
Brief News:
On 12 January,
when the European Parliament
passed the Constitution with a vast majority, fifteen of the
In the national
parliament, Prime Minister Stanislav Gross'
centre-left coalition only has a narrow majority, barely enough to push the
ratification through the legislature, or - alternatively - to secure the required three-fifth support
for a constitutional change to pave the way for a referendum on the
ratification. Still, analysts say that the chances for approval appear to be
stronger in a referendum.
However,
according to a recent survey, some
86% of the Czechs have no interest at all in the Constitution, and one in
five respondents have never even heard of it. The
survey, conducted by the Czech Social Research and Study Centre, found that 17%
of those asked had "limited" knowledge of the Constitution.
PRAY that the Czech people – and
other European citizens - will become sufficiently informed about the EU and
its Constitution to be able to vote, and respond appropriately, in a
referendum.
Meanwhile, the Dutch parliament has decided
that the new European Constitution will be ratified in a national referendum -
the first ever in the country. The scheduled date is May or June 2005.
In
On 25 January,
PRAY for the right result –
according to God’s purposes - in the referendums in the
MEPs say 'yes' to EU Constitution
http://www.euractiv.com/Article?tcmuri=tcm:29-134070-16&type=News&_lang=EN&email=7581
Published:
Langues / Sprachen: [FR][DE]
In Short:
In a vote on 12
January, the European Parliament
has endorsed the EU Constitution by a large majority.
The European Parliament
has endorsed the Treaty Establishing the Constitution for
The
ratification process for the treaty, which must be ratified by all member
states, is well under way. The national parliaments of Lithuania
and Hungary have already ratified the treaty, in November and December
2004 respectively.
****************
For the EU, the hard part, Referendums on
charter pose huge gamble
IHT: http://europe2020.c.topica.com/maac44zabdnM3b3bfYdb/
By Graham Bowley International Herald Tribune
But beneath the
scent of olive groves, there was a hollowness to the
celebrations. The leaders knew the
constitution still had to be ratified in each of the 25 countries,
either by votes in national parliaments or in public referendums. Failure, they
knew, would make the paper they had just signed worthless, though they appeared
to laugh off such a prospect in the
But now, in 2005,
the days of reckoning have arrived.
The sequence of referendums planned for this year is a huge political gamble: A rejection in just one would set the EU's development back years.
But there is also
a lot to gain. If the constitution
passes these tests of public fire, the EU will win unprecedented political
legitimacy. No longer will its critics be able to complain of a
"democratic deficit" after hundreds of millions of Europeans have put
the constitution to direct vote and placed their confidence in it.
"Two
thousand five is a crucial year," said Etienne de Poncins,
a French diplomat who took
part last year in the constitutional convention, the 105-member body that drew
up the treaty. "In 2005, we will discover the fate of the
constitution."
In
But
Until then, other
votes will take place one by one across
Copyright © 2005 The International
Herald Tribune | www.iht.com
PRAY for us, and others who are
trying to get information to Christians about issues in the constitution so
they can so they can vote intelligently:
- That
those who receive the information will distribute it widely and in all
necessary languages
- That
all those who need to understand the issues better will be sufficiently
informed to respond and vote according to God’s will.
****************
THE OTHER OPINION
PRAY that the full presentation
of both points of view are presented so that the citisens
in each nation vote the way you want them to vote
EU 'No' campaign calls for fair
referendums
In Short:
The European 'No'
campaign is demanding "fair
referendums with a balanced debate on the EU Constitution in all 25 EU
countries".
Published:
Langues: [FR]
Constitutional
Treaty - key elements http://www.euractiv.com/Article?tcmuri=tcm:29-128513-16&type=LinksDossier
The new eurosceptics in Parliament - a motley crew http://www.euractiv.com/Article?tcmuri=tcm:29-117885-16&type=News
Brief News:
The European 'No' campaign is an EU-wide
cross-party network working
to prevent the proposed EU Constitution from being ratified. It has sent a plea
for fair referendums on the EU Constitution to 25 European newspapers.
The supporters of
the letter to the editor demand fair coverage on both 'Yes' and 'No' campaigns,
and underline that "the governments must respect the outcome of the
referendum whatever it will be". According
to the existing treaties, a ‘no’ in just one of the 25 countries is sufficient
for the EU Constitution to be rejected.
Links EU Actors positions
European NO
Campaign press release: A demand for fair referendums (
http://www.europeannocampaign.com/210.html
European NO
Campaign Homepage:
http://www.europeannocampaign.com/
*****************
http://www.dw-world.de/dw/article/0,,1458798,00.html?maca=en-bulletin-433-html
Health ministers
and NGO representatives from the 52 member states in the World Health Organization's European Region have put their
heads together in
15.01.2005
The conference,
which is the first of its kind organized by the WHO Regional Office for
It has become
"What we see
unfortunately in comparison to cardiovascular disease where we have a very
positive development in the larger part of
Author Louisa
Schaefer (tkw)
http://www.dw-world.de © Deutsche Welle
Mental health moves higher up EU agenda
http://www.euractiv.com/Article?tcmuri=tcm:29-134111-16&type=News&_lang=EN&email=7581
More people commit suicide in the EU than suffer car
accidents or murder.
The EU's public health commissioner names the fight
against mental illness as one of his priorities.
PRAY that Christians will be
enabled to spread the good news of the Gospel across Europe and that those who
see no point in living will find their purpose, and eternal future, in knowing
Jesus Christ and His plan for their lives.
***********************
Diamandouros continues as European ombudsman
http://www.euractiv.com/29/images/Ombudsman_press
release_2005-01-11-en_tcm29-134026.doc
Nikiforos Diamandouros,
the EU's ombudsman since January 2003, has
been re-elected for five years. The
Ombudsman will continue working to improve the quality of information to
citizens and potential complainants about their rights under EU law and
to ensure that public administrations at the European, national, regional and
local levels take full account of these rights in their everyday work.
http://www.euractiv.com/Article?tcmuri=tcm:29-134027-16&type=News&_lang=EN&email=7581.
Diamandouros's priorities over the coming five years are
to:
Ensure that citizens' rights under EU law are
respected at every level in the
Make certain that, in everything they do, the EU
institutions and bodies conform to the highest standards of administration.
Guarantee that his institution serves the citizen in
the most efficient and effective way possible.
Links Official Documents
European
Ombudsman press release:
Committee on Petitions of the European
Parliament
http://www.euractiv.com/29/images/Ombudsman_press
release_2005-01-11-en_tcm29-134026.doc
Statement by Mr. P. Nikiforos Diamandouros, candidate for the post of European Ombudsman (
The European Ombudsman homepage
http://www.euro-ombudsman.eu.int/home/en/default.htm
READ THE ROLE OF THE OMBUDSMAN FOR FEASABILITY AS A CONTACT
FOR RELIGIOUS FREEDOM ISSUES
PRAY that those who need to
contact someone in the EU will know who to go to with their questions or
concerns.
********************
REMEMBER
PRAY FOR THE EU DAY
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EUReview & Call to
Prayer Ministries is conducting this
multi-denominational ministry under the mission program of the Assemblies of
God Western Europe office outside of Brussels, Belgium. The mailing address
there is: EMC/EURCP (Gerald Branum.) 45 Chaussee de
(Your comments are welcome. Your assistance is needed. Can
you help mobilise Christians to pray and participate?
This call to prayer needs to be prepared by Europeans in other languages and
with greater distribution!)
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