The Czechs have hammered another nail into the coffin of the Lisbon treaty by declaring that ratification must stop.
Czech president Vaclav Klaus, who is supported by the country's largest political party, called the Irish referendum vote a "victory of freedom and reason" and said "ratification cannot continue".
His view was echoed in the Czech senate.
"Politicians have allowed the citizens to express their opinion only in a single EU country," Mr Klaus said.
"The Lisbon treaty project ended with the Irish voters' decision and its ratification cannot continue," he wrote on his own website, according to Czech news agency CTK.
The resounding Irish no was a "victory of freedom and reason over artificial elitist projects and European bureaucracy," he said.
Premysl Sobotka, Czech senate chairman, also said there was "no sense" continuing with ratification, according to the agency.
The Czech Republic, traditionally one of the more Euro-skeptic of the EU's 27 member states, is one of nine countries which have not yet ratified the treaty.
Comments
Well good for the Czechs. I'm not surprised by the Czechs' opposition to this EUlunacy: they've had the bitter experience of being repeatedly sold down the river in the name of "political expediency" (1938, 1948, and 1968)...and they'll be damned if it's going to happen to them again.
Posted by: MarkJ | June 14, 2008 03:53 PM
I like the Czechs. Always have ever since I learned of their visceral hatred of the Soviets and what they did to them in Prague. They have an understanding and appreciation of freedom and autonomy that many of us will never know. But we should understand. We must understand.
Posted by: Bubba's BBQ | June 14, 2008 04:17 PM
The Czech President doesn't want to surrender his country to the EU, and neither does the Topolanek government. Had the LT been ratified by all member states, the biggest EU member states - Germany and France - would be governing the EU. The French and German leaders would be dictating the public policy to all other EU leaders. A union of 27 member states would practically be governed by just 2 of them - France and Germany.
Germany dominating the EU? What is that a recipe for?
Posted by: Zbigniew Mazurak | June 14, 2008 04:35 PM
More power to the liberty loving Czechs.
Posted by: Will Becker | June 14, 2008 07:05 PM
Errm, the Czech President surrendered his country to the EU when it joined that organization. Klaus, reluctantly according to him, campaigned for a yes vote in that referendum.
Germany does not dominate the EU. It's a different structure.
Also, I believe, the Czech ratification has merely been suspended until the constitutional court decides. Good news, of course, but not final.
Posted by: Helen | June 14, 2008 08:31 PM
Beautiful country, beautiful Prague, beautiful women, beautiful minds. Hell of the place to visit and enjoy.
Posted by: AL | June 15, 2008 07:45 AM
While reading this I was reminded of some of the old 'states rights' arguments, big state vs. small state. Ireland and the Czech Republic are acting like those small state that don't want to be overrun by the France and Germanies of the world.
With the 17th amend, where senators were elected vs. appointed by the states we lost this battle. When the little guy has some power it halts or slows the advance to the big state, or big movement.
I have great respect for the Irish and Czech folks --
Posted by: Bob | June 15, 2008 08:28 AM
'Germany does not dominate the EU. It's a different structure.'
Wrong. The LT would institute the QMV system, which would favourise the most populous states, like Germany. The QMV would require states accounting for 30% (or more) of population to block a proposal. That would require France and Germany to ally only with Spain (governed by an anti-American socialist).
The Czech President also doesn't want to forfeit the US-Czech alliance. Currently the two countries are exemplary allies, but if the EU - an anti-American organization - is ever allowed to dictate the Czech foreign policy, America will lose her Czech ally. The EU's sabotage of the admission of the CR to the Visa Waiver Program should be registered as a sign of things to come.
When the US negotiates with individual European states like the CR, it can present its opinion on any issue (whether it's Iran, the missile shield, global warming or Iraq) long before any decision is made. By contrast, when the US deals with the supranational EU, it is being faced with accomplished facts, i.e. it can consult with the EU only after the EU makes relevant decisions. Thus, the EU is institutionally estranging herself from the US.
Posted by: Zbigniew Mazurak | June 15, 2008 08:33 AM
Well said. This czech president is a real political personality and I am absolutely sure that hammering another nail to this so called "super elite" will send this treaty in the basket garbage of the history.What a man!
Posted by: Michael | June 19, 2008 02:48 PM
Thanks for the words of appreciation regarding the Czech Republic ;-) However, I think the situation isn't that good here: the socialists are very strong now and in case of early election they would definitely overrun Topolanek's government. Their policy is now to spread fear among people that US radar here would be the first step to hell like Soviets used to be. The socialists try to persuade people that our president Klaus is a crazy fool and - what's worst - people are actually starting to believe it. It means that non-ratification of LT would unfortunately just shake our political scene and let the socialists again form the government - which would eventually mean horrible EU bootlickering and default anti-US moods.
Posted by: Jan (Czech Republic) | June 20, 2008 08:40 AM