Spanish Foreign Minister rules out any change in the EU voting system

During Spanish foreign minister, Ana Palacio's meeting yesterday in Warsaw with her Polish counterpart, Włodzimierz Cimoszewicz, she announced that Spain would not agree on a change in the division of voting in the EU, as established in Nice. They also discussed Polish-Spanish co-operation in Iraq. Both countries have vehemently opposed the idea of a simplified voting system for the EU, since they, as medium-sized countries, could be the biggest losers if the Nice system were modified. Spanish commentators, however, have suggested that Madrid might accept the modifications in exchange for a few more seats in the European Parliament. Minister Palacio has denied this speculation. "There is no need to change the EU rules," she claimed. Cimoszewicz announced that Poland would be supporting the present system as a better solution for the Union. (Gazeta Wyborcza, p. 7) K.Ż