Libertas cries foul after losing European party status

(BRUSSELS) - The eurosceptic Libertas party, led by Irish founder Declan Ganley, is crying foul after losing its status as a European political party, and the funding attached was withdrawn.

The bureau of the European parliament, composed of the chambers president and 14 vice presidents from the existing political groups, took the decision at a meeting late Wednesday.

Libertas, which in its mission statement talks of "an increasingly anti-democratic overbearing Brussels," only gained the European party status at the start of the month, giving it access to over 200,000 euros (250,000 dollars) in funding, which it planned to use to help it field candidates in the summer European parliament elections.

However the decision to grant it was swiftly contested.

In order to be eligible a party must intend to take part in the European elections with support from elected officials in at least seven EU nations.

While Libertas did so, its named supporters in Estonia and Bulgaria later withdrew their names, leading the parliament to re-examine the case.

Libertas late Wednesday denounced the decision to withdraw the European status, saying the two sponsors who changed their minds were "intimidated into distancing themselves from their actions."

"This case is a fine example of how anti-democratic the Brussels establishment can be," Libertas said in its statement.

Ganley is at the forefront of the campaign in Ireland to reject the EU's reforming Lisbon Treaty.

Irish voters did just that at a referendum last year and a second vote is being organised for late this year.