Czech PM gives scant praise to Lisbon treaty
By Honor Mahony
Czech Prime Minister Mirek Topolanek has trampled on the EU's unspoken rule that presidency countries do not offer a controversial opinion on the sensitive topic of the moment.
Speaking to MEPs in Strasbourg on Wednesday (14 January), Mr Topolanek, in charge of the EU for the first half of this year, offered only half-hearted support for the EU's new rulebook - seven years in the making and facing an uncertain future - and expressed doubts that Czech citizens would approve it in a referendum.
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"It's an average treaty, a bit better than the [current] Nice treaty," he said and expressed annoyance about the pressure on member states to ratify the Lisbon treaty.
"Telling member states in advance that they have to ratify the treaty and ...that they do not have the right ...to decide whether to approve it or not is absurd," Mr Topolanek said, according to AFP news agency.
He noted that if there was a referendum on Lisbon in his country then it "would also not be accepted" in a comment unlikely to be welcomed by the Irish government, which is gearing itself up for a second vote on the charter after Irish voters rejected it first time round last year.
His words were quickly seized upon by the anti-treaty camp in Ireland.
Mary-Lou McDonald, an MEP for Sinn Fein which campaigned against the document, welcomed Mr Topolanek's "candour" and said it illustrated "the massive discrepancy between the political establishment of Europe and member state citizens."
The Czech Republic is the only country which has not yet expressed itself on the treaty. Prague's treaty debate has become embroiled in domestic issues. In addition, several MPs do not like the document which is due to be voted on in the lower house of parliament on 3 February.
For his part, Mr Topolanek told euro-deputies that as he had negotiated and signed off the Lisbon treaty, he personally would vote for it.
With or without the Czech leader's controversial words, the Lisbon treaty is set to stay high on the political agenda over the coming months.
One of the main tasks for Prague will be to negotiate a legal framework for the political promises made to Ireland by other member states about the text - on tax issues, neutrality and family law.
Dublin has indicated that it will hold its second referendum later this year - it is expected to take place in the autumn.