To sign or not to sign? For the past week or so, we’ve been hearing reports about how the Czech President, Václav Klaus, has decided, reluctantly, to accept the Lisbon Treaty. But a story in today’s Times suggests that he’s still holding out against ratification. Here’s the key passage:
“Václav Klaus, the Czech President, who is the last hurdle to full ratification of the Lisbon treaty, has made a final attempt to derail the agreement.
In a submission to the Czech constitutional court, which will decide tomorrow whether the treaty is compatible with the country’s constitution, Mr Klaus has suggested that it should be subject to a referendum.
…
The court will hold a one-day public hearing tomorrow in a case seen as the final legal obstacle to the treaty in the Czech Republic.
President Klaus has vowed not to sign until after the court’s verdict, which is expected in a week’s time. He added a further condition to his signature earlier this month by demanding an opt-out from the treaty’s Charter of Fundamental Rights.”
Given the noises that are coming out of the Czech Republic, and the recent concessions that the Swedish Presidency of the EU has made towards Klaus, it’s still looking as though ratification will go ahead. But many folk over here – including the Tories, who would prefer that it isn’t ratified before the general election – will be hoping that there’s another twist in the story this week.
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