Portugal will ratify the Lisbon Treaty in parliament without holding a referendum, the nation's Prime Minister Jose Socrates announced to parliament Wednesday.
The treaty was signed by EU members in December, aimed at reforming EU institutions.
"There is no justification to hold a referendum considering that there is a broad consensus in Portuguese society about the European project and the Treaty of Lisbon," Socrates said.
The move marks a change in position by Socrates, who had promised to hold a referendum on the previous proposed EU constitution in 2005. The document was rejected by the public in referendums in France and the Netherlands.
Socrates said the government had considered all the alternatives and implications and "it is certain that a Treaty of Lisbon referendum would not be justified. A referendum in Portugal would imperil the legitimate ratification by national parliaments in all the other member nations, without any real reason," he said.
The Lisbon Treaty brings into force stronger and more united EU foreign policy, as well as more democratic central decision-making. However, it leaves out plans from the previous constitution plan for a flag and a national anthem for the 27-state bloc.
All 27 members must ratify the agreement before it comes into force in January 2009.
There were concerns by some EU diplomats in the past week that Portugal would decide to hold a referendum on the treaty, which would have made it the second EU country to hold a popular vote alongside Ireland.
Source:Xinhua
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