Deputies in the European Parliament have voted strongly in favour of the EU's latest treaty, endorsing a report saying the new document will make the EU more democratic, give EU citizens more rights and improve the day-to-day working of the 27-nation bloc. Adopted on Wednesday (20 February) by 525 votes in favour, 115 against and 29 abstentions, the three-hour long debate preceding it ranged from those strongly in favour of the treaty to those accusing member states of bypassing EU citizens by not having a referendum.

MEPs – poslanci (Members of Parliament) in favour – pro, ve prospěch deputy – zástupce to vote – volit latest – poslední, nejnovější treaty – dohoda, smlouva to endorse – schválit, podporovat, potvrdit citizen – občan rights – práva to improve – zlepšit day-to-day – každodenní to adopt – přijmout (zákon, smlouvu) against – proti abstention – zdržení se, zřeknutí se (hlasování) to precede – předcházet to range – sahat (od – po), rozprostírat se to accuse – obvinit to bypass – obejít.

Reacting to the vote, Spanish centre-right MEP Inigo Mendez de Vigo who drew up the report on the treaty for the parliament said he was "extremely pleased with the result" and spoke of the EU's assembly's "political impulse" for member states who are currently ratifying the treaty. He said that Europe had shown "that it can find a solution" referring to the fact that the bloc got itself out of the institutional impasse resulting in the French and Dutch rejection of the original EU constitution almost three years ago.

vote – volba who – který to draw up – koncipovat, sestavit (neprav.slov: draw, drew, drown) report – zpráva treaty – smlouva, dohoda to be pleased – být potěšen result – výsledek assembly – schůze, shromáždění member states – členské státy currently – v současné době to show – ukázat (neprav.slov: show, showed, shown) solution – řešení to refer to – poukazovat na itself – sám sebe impasse – slepá ulička to result – mít výsledek, důsledek rejection – zamítnutí original – původní constitution – ústava.

EU communications commissioner Margot Wallstrom said the treaty, formally signed in December and due to come into place at the beginning of next year "strengthens Europe's democratic legitimacy". Some MEPs, mainly British and Danish eurosceptics, protested the vote saying the treaty was essentially the constitution dress up in different clothes and that it should be put to a referendum. Most MEPs responded to this stance in the long debate about the parliamentary ratification saying it was no less legitimate than a public poll.

to sign – podepsat to be due to – být splatný, mít povinnost come into place – začít platit to strengthen – posílit legitimacy – legitimita, platnost mainly – zvláště vote – volba essentially – v základu, v podstatě constitution – ústava to dress up – přestrojit different – jiný, odlišný should – měl by most – většina to respond – reagovat, odpovědět stance – postoj debate rozprava less – méně public – veřejný poll – hlasování.

Markéta Frýbová