Czech President may obstruct Lisbon Treaty: report
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The office of Czech head of state on Thursday declined to comment on the reports that President Vaclav Klaus may raise another condition for signing Lisbon Treaty.
Swedish diplomats reported on Thursday that in a phone conversation with Swedish Prime Minister Fredrik Reinfelt, Klaus mentioned that he would like to add two sentences about human rights to the document. Then, if the Czech Constitutional Court approves the agreement, he will reportedly sign.
Klaus's spokesman Radim Ochvat only confirmed that the phone talk took place and that it focused on Czech ratification of the treaty. It was Reinfeldt who initiated the phone conversation with Klaus on Thursday, he added.
The spokesman of Czech Prime Minister Fischer also declined to explain Klaus's position.
Without Klaus's signature, the treaty cannot come into power before end of 2009 as planned. The other head of state, whose approval has been missing, Polish Lech Kaczynski, will reportedly sign on coming Saturday.
What should these two sentences say exactly, is not clear. But such a step may allay the Klaus' fear of losing face if he, a staunch opponent of the treaty, will have to sign it against his will.
Leader of Czech Social Democrats (CSSD) Jiri Paroubek said that adding a new clause to a treaty could be acceptable if it did not mean reopening of the ratification process in the other states.
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