Czech Republic moving closer to ratifying Lisbon

THE CZECH Republic appears to have inched closer to ratifying the Lisbon Treaty as an aide to eurosceptic President Václav Klaus suggested that a political declaration from EU leaders rather than legal changes to the treaty itself could satisfy his demand for certain special guarantees.

Mr Klaus has refused to sign the treaty unless the Czech Republic is given an exemption from parts of a rights charter which, he fears, could expose it to claims for property that belonged to three million Germans who were expelled from Czechoslovakia after the second World War.

Advocates of the treaty – which has been approved by all the other EU members and the Czech parliament – feared Mr Klaus would demand the kind of exemption secured by Poland and Britain on particular legal issues, which could have forced the treaty to be re-ratified by all 27 EU states.

However presidential aide Jiri Weigl said yesterday that Mr Klaus could be satisfied by the kind of “political declaration” from EU leaders which soothed Ireland’s fears over parts of the treaty.

“We are discussing options how to meet this [demand],” Czech media quoted Mr Weigl as saying. “The president spoke about the Irish precedent and so on. It is all a matter of discussion not only between us and the government, but of course also with the EU.”

The Czech constitutional court plans on October 27th to hear a last-ditch objection to the treaty filed by Mr Klaus’s allies, but it does not expect to issue a verdict that same day.

Czech prime minister Jan Fischer and EU leaders hope to achieve a breakthrough at an EU summit on October 29th-30th, placing them under pressure to improvise a swift solution that would satisfy Mr Klaus and the rest of the EU.

Mr Fischer said Mr Klaus could sign the treaty before his demands were actually written into it, if EU leaders agree to make the requested changes.

Czech media have cited unnamed ministers as saying the president could take part in a cabinet meeting to discuss the mandate of the Czech delegation for the EU summit, then publicly declare that he would agree to sign the treaty as long as his opt-out was granted and the Czech constitutional court cleared the treaty.

A survey suggested yesterday 65 percent of Czechs supported Mr Klaus.