Czech leader demands guarantee on EU treaty
Source: Agencies |
October 12, 2009, Monday
|
Print Edition
Print Edition
CZECH President Vaclav Klaus will demand a strong and binding guarantee that the European Union's Lisbon Treaty does not destabilize property rights before he signs the pact, his aide said yesterday.
Klaus is the last head of state in the 27-nation EU that stands in the way of ratification of the new treaty, aimed at streamlining decision-making and giving the bloc a greater role on the world scene.
The long-time critic of the treaty stunned EU partners as well as the Czech Cabinet last week by demanding that the Czechs negotiate a partial exemption from the pact, similar to those earlier negotiated by Britain and Poland.
Klaus's aide Ladislav Jakl said yesterday the president demanded a binding guarantee, and a political declaration by the EU, an easier way forward, will not be sufficient.
"The president will not be satisfied by any declaration, but only guarantees for every citizen," Jakl said in a live television debate.
"For him, this condition is fundamental, necessary, unbreachable."
The treaty would give the EU a long-term president and a beefed-up foreign representative, and take away national vetoes in some areas.
Klaus says it would create a European superstate that gives too much power to Brussels and big member states, and has so far refused to ratify it even though parliament has approved it.
Klaus's stance has further antagonized partners of the central European country which lost some clout when its government fell midway through the Czech term as EU president in March.
Klaus is the last head of state in the 27-nation EU that stands in the way of ratification of the new treaty, aimed at streamlining decision-making and giving the bloc a greater role on the world scene.
The long-time critic of the treaty stunned EU partners as well as the Czech Cabinet last week by demanding that the Czechs negotiate a partial exemption from the pact, similar to those earlier negotiated by Britain and Poland.
Klaus's aide Ladislav Jakl said yesterday the president demanded a binding guarantee, and a political declaration by the EU, an easier way forward, will not be sufficient.
"The president will not be satisfied by any declaration, but only guarantees for every citizen," Jakl said in a live television debate.
"For him, this condition is fundamental, necessary, unbreachable."
The treaty would give the EU a long-term president and a beefed-up foreign representative, and take away national vetoes in some areas.
Klaus says it would create a European superstate that gives too much power to Brussels and big member states, and has so far refused to ratify it even though parliament has approved it.
Klaus's stance has further antagonized partners of the central European country which lost some clout when its government fell midway through the Czech term as EU president in March.
- About Us
- |
- Terms of Use
- |
-
RSS - |
- Privacy Policy
- |
- Contact Us
- |
- Shanghai Call Center: 962288
- |
- Tip-off hotline: 52920043
- 沪ICP证：沪ICP备05050403号-1
- |
- 互联网新闻信息服务许可证：31120180004
- |
- 网络视听许可证：0909346
- |
- 广播电视节目制作许可证：沪字第354号
- |
- 增值电信业务经营许可证：沪B2-20120012
Copyright © 1999- Shanghai Daily. All rights reserved.Preferably viewed with Internet Explorer 8 or newer browsers.
