International

SP Euro-MP Kartika Liotard today received the "Traeskoprisen", the prize for the international political figure who most clearly "has both feet on the ground." The prize is awarded in recognition of the SP's campaign against the European constitution.

Kartika Liotard accepts the Traesko Prize on behalf of the SP, Copenhagen 26 November 2005

Ms Liotard was in Copenhagen this evening to collect her prize, which consists of a pair of clogs, during a conference of the Danish People's Movement against the EU.

Previous winners of the Traesko prize include Commission official and whistle-blower Bernard Connolly, former Norwegian government minister Anne Enger Lahnstein, Swedish ex-MP Birgitta Hambraues and the writer Astrid Lindgren.

At the People's Movement conference guests from several European countries could be seen enthusiastically waving Dutch and French tricolours. As Ms Liotard said, “These two countries represent a little of the hope which people feel who do not want to see the heavy freight train of the European Union hurtling off at a speed and in a direction which most Europeans have had their fill of. And this conference makes it clear also that this is not about an 'anti-Europe' standpoint, because in the time that I've been here I've spoken with representatives from virtually every European country, whether inside or outside the Union – and European cooperation is a priority. Cooperation yes, federalism no, that is perhaps the clearest summary of what I've heard.”