by Daniel Hannan
Can this really be true? The French and German governments attempting to oust the head of state of a neighbouring democracy? Czech politicians being told to bring impeachment proceedings against their President – not on grounds of corruption or abuse of office, but because he is sticking to a position that he had very publicly adopted prior to becoming President?
Klaus himself has written of the intolerant, authoritarian nature of the doctrine he calls “Europeism”. Now he is all that stands in its way, and is sustaining its full force. I have written many times of what I call the EU’s “hideous strength“: the way in which, as well as being undemocratic in itself, it requires its member nations to sacrifice a measure of their internal democracy; the way in which it makes otherwise good people do bad things. I hope that Klaus’s stand will convince people – not just in Czech Republic or Britain, but across the EU – of the nature of what we are dealing with.
Czech cabinet in emergency session to force President Klaus to sign Lisbon Treaty
The Czech Cabinet meets in emergency session today to consider how to persuade their stubborn President to sign the Lisbon treaty — under intense pressure from Paris and Berlin to complete the ratification as soon as possible.
With President Klaus demanding a last-minute amendment as the price of his signature — the final approval required in the 27-nation European Union — the Government is locked in a trial of strength with its head of state and on the brink of a constitutional crisis. If it supports his demands the treaty might have to be reopened amid lengthy delays, possibly allowing time for David Cameron’s Conservatives to win the next British election and hold a referendum on the treaty as they have promised.
If the the Czech Government opposes President Klaus then it may have to resort to a form of impeachment or strip him of his treaty-signing powers so as to complete ratification.
Barely disguising the anger felt in European capitals, Fredrik Reinfeldt, the Prime Minister of Sweden, which holds the EU’s rotating presidency, told a signing ceremony by Poland that Czech assent was eagerly awaited. He added: “We do not need more delays.”
France and Germany, which claim the credit for reviving the treaty after the draft EU constitution collapsed in 2005, are furious but wary of putting overt pressure on President Klaus, who has a habit of reviving wartime passions to rouse popular support.
read more @ times online
I will not sign Lisbon Treaty says Czech President
The President of the Czech Republic has no intention of signing the Lisbon treaty, a move that might allow David Cameron time to hold a British referendum on Europe.
President Klaus, the fiercely Eurosceptic Czech leader, is the last obstacle for the agreement after its ratification in the other 26 EU states but he has told supporters that he will never sign, The Times has learnt.
Asked during a walkabout on Sunday not to put his name to the treaty, Mr Klaus replied: “Don’t worry, I won’t.”
After a crisis Cabinet meeting yesterday, Jan Fischer, the Czech Prime Minister, avoided a direct confrontation with Mr Klaus, bowing to his demand to reopen negotiations with the EU on an eleventh-hour opt-out.
...Mr Fischer’s refusal to face down his President now throws the problem back at EU leaders at their summit in Brussels on October 29-30, when they had hoped to celebrate the completion of the treaty.
They had also hoped to appoint the EU president and foreign minister, roles created by the treaty, but will now have to be content with a discussion about candidates, including Tony Blair.
...Mr Fischer, who will be in Brussels for talks today, said he hoped that the treaty could still be concluded by the end of the year. The lack of agreement from Mr Klaus will infuriate other EU members, particularly France and Germany, which are pushing hard to wrap up the Lisbon treaty saga.
Czech senators prepare new move against Lisbon Treaty
PRAGUE, Oct. 12 (Xinhua) -- A group of 17 Czech senators said Tuesday they had hired lawyers to beef up a legal challenge against the Lisbon Treaty at the Constitutional Court.
The senators were demanding the court decide whether the whole treaty, instead of its specific clauses, is compatible with the constitution of the Czech Republic, local media reported.
Senator Jiri Oberfalzer said the complaint would be filed between next Thursday and next Sunday.
It may be the last but one hurdle to the ratification of the Lisbon Treaty, the last one being its signing by Czech President Vaclav Klaus.
Tomas Langasek, general secretary of the Constitutional Court, said such a move would complicate the court's decision-making process.
"Anything new would mean complication," Langasek said.
The Lisbon Treaty was designed to modernize and strengthen the EU's institutions and decision-making powers in line with its near-doubling in size since 2004.
With Ireland and Poland recently ratifying the treaty, the Czech Republic is now left as the only hurdle to the required unanimous approval of the reform by EU member states.
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