Tuesday, 13 October 2009After the positive result of the Irish referendum and the Polish President’s signature, Czech President Vaclav Klaus’s opposition has become the main obstacle before the ratification of the Lisbon Treaty, which should be ratified by all the member states to become applicable.
Seventeen Czech senators have recently lodged a second challenge against the Treaty at the Constitutional Court on 29 September 2009, by claiming its infringing on national sovereignty. In the aftermath of this opposition attempt against the Lisbon Treaty, Czech President Vaclav Klaus has said that he would wait for the decision of the Court to sing the treaty. It is expected that the Court will decide whether it accepts this plea or not by next week but it could take 6 months for the Court to give a decision. In this time limit, the Conservatives who promised a referendum for the Lisbon Treaty can take the power as in the UK, and another problem for the ratification of the Treaty may emerge.
In addition to this, last Thursday, Mr. Klaus also argued that the Czech Republic should opt-out from the EU's charter of fundamental rights, a part of the Lisbon Treaty; because, according to him, in parallel with this charter, ethnic Germans who were forced to leave the former Czechoslovakia at the end of the WWII will be able to claim compensation from the Czech Republic.
As a result of this recent development, the Prime Minister of Czechoslovakia, Jan Fischer, will meet with Commission President José Manuel Barroso to determine the Czech government’s stance against Klaus's argument.
According to the Czech Constitution, the negation of the international treaties is under the government’s responsibility; therefore, the government will say the last word about this opt-out issue.
However, a possible Czech opt-out from any part of the Lisbon Treaty means a re-launch in treaty negotiations with all 27 member states and a new round of ratification, including another referendum in Ireland, will be required.
Yilmaz KAPLAN (JTW)
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Tuesday, 13 October 2009
Journal of Turkish Weekly
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