Prague faces head-on clash with pro-EU constitution camp

The Czech Republic has emerged as a key opponent of the German EU presidency's plan to revive the European constitution, with its newly appointed negotiator Jan Zahradil telling EUobserver that Prague seeks to curb EU powers and re-open core parts of the charter.

Mr Zahradil, who was recently picked as the personal negotiator on the constitution of the new Czech centre-right prime minister Mirek Topolanek, said that "a new text is necessary" after French and Dutch voters in 2005 "vetoe...