(BRUSSELS) - European Commission head Jose Manuel Barroso expressed delight after the Polish parliament on Wednesday approved the EU's reforming Lisbon Treaty, after weeks of wrangling.

"I am delighted by the vote, which shows that the treaty unites more than it divides and is a subject to common agreement by both the Polish government, the president and among most members of the Parliament as well," Barroso said in a statement.

"I am convinced that the other member states will follow the example that has been set by Poland and the other six member states which have ratified the Treaty so far," he added.

The Lisbon Treaty, which replaces the EU constitution scuppered by French and Dutch voters in 2005 referendums, has to be ratified by all 27 member states if it is to take effect by the 2009 target.

For several weeks it had appeared that Poland, the largest of the ex-communist newcomers to the EU in 2004, could upset the reform process this time.

Polish President Lech Kaczynski and his twin brother, opposition leader Jaroslaw Kaczynski, had spent much of March battling over the ratification bill with the government and, in particular, with Prime Minister Donald Tusk

The Kaczynskis had demanded additional legal guarantees, saying they were needed to protect Poland's interests in the EU.

Last year, the twins had trumpeted the treaty as a success and claimed it was only thanks to their confrontational style that Poland, like Britain, secured an opt-out from the treaty's Charter on Fundamental Rights.

Despite their stance, earlier Wednesday Poland's Senate approved the Lisbon Treaty, authorising President Kaczynski to sign it into law.

Barroso said the parliamentary vote "symbolises Poland's confidence in our common European project."

Of the 27 EU member states only Ireland is constitutionally obliged to put the treaty to the kind of unpredictable referendum which put paid to the original EU constitution project.

Barroso had no comment on the Irish Prime Minister Bertie Ahern's announcement Wednesday that he will stand down next month amid growing pressure over alleged financial irregularities.

Ahern's decision to go could complicate the national referendum on the treaty text which will take place in early June, as the general election campaign will coincide with the referendum campaign.

European leaders had hoped to avoid such a scenario in order to prevent internal politics from affecting the treaty issue.

European Communications Commissioner Margot Wallstrom declared herself to be "still hopeful" over the referendum, adding that "it's a good debate in Ireland".

She said the Commission was following the issue "very closely". "We have all kinds of concerns with the political situations in various countries.... especially if there is a referendum to come."

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