Statement by TUV Euro election candidate Jim Allister:
“We now know the Haass process was built on deception. In supposedly even-handed negotiations about the treatment of victims, the victim-makers were sitting smug with secret OTR letters to protect their own.
“Haass himself in his report couldn’t even mention the wicked terrorist campaigns. Instead he sought to sanitise and excuse by speaking of a ‘conflict’. The focus was on shuffling victims away from pursuit of justice to settle for the self-justifying Provo version of the truth. Little wonder innocent victims recoiled in horror and in that they had TUV’s full support.
“Likewise, on parading, the proposals were perverse: more bureaucracy to make parading even more difficult and mandatory negotiations with every jumped up objector.
“As for the restoration of the Union flag, it was treated with contempt by side-lining it to a future discussion in which enhancement of ‘Irishness’ was of equal importance.
“Little wonder TUV and others rejected Haass.
“The continued refusal of the DUP to sign up to the Victims’ Contract reminds us that Haass is still very much on the table with meetings between most of Executive parties on the issues set to resume after the election. There has even been speculation in the press that Dr Haass could return once polling day is out of the way.
“How TUV performs in these elections will determine if any serious attempt is made to resurrect Haass. TUV is your insurance policy. A strong vote for TUV in the European and council elections will ensure others with an inclination to roll over after the election, won’t dare to do so!”