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| Czech Senate to vote on EU treaty | |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| The upper house of the Czech parliament is set to vote on whether to approve the European Union's Lisbon Treaty. | The upper house of the Czech parliament is set to vote on whether to approve the European Union's Lisbon Treaty. |
| The Czech Republic - current holder of the EU's rotating presidency - is one of the last countries yet to ratify the reform treaty. | The Czech Republic - current holder of the EU's rotating presidency - is one of the last countries yet to ratify the reform treaty. |
| It was rejected by Irish voters in a referendum last June but Dublin plans to hold another vote this year after securing sovereignty "guarantees". | It was rejected by Irish voters in a referendum last June but Dublin plans to hold another vote this year after securing sovereignty "guarantees". |
| The treaty cannot take effect unless all 27 EU member states ratify it. | The treaty cannot take effect unless all 27 EU member states ratify it. |
| The Czech lower house voted 125 to 61 to adopt the document, aimed at streamlining EU institutions to make them more flexible after the 27-nation bloc's enlargement in recent years. | The Czech lower house voted 125 to 61 to adopt the document, aimed at streamlining EU institutions to make them more flexible after the 27-nation bloc's enlargement in recent years. |
| Misgivings | Misgivings |
| Informal polls conducted by several Czech newspapers suggest the Lisbon Treaty will pass the Czech senate, but only just, the BBC's Rob Cameron in Prague says. | Informal polls conducted by several Czech newspapers suggest the Lisbon Treaty will pass the Czech senate, but only just, the BBC's Rob Cameron in Prague says. |
| They predict that enough senators from the conservative Civic Democratic Party (ODS) led by Czech Prime Minister Mirek Topolanek, who signed the treaty, will ignore their misgivings and vote in favour. | They predict that enough senators from the conservative Civic Democratic Party (ODS) led by Czech Prime Minister Mirek Topolanek, who signed the treaty, will ignore their misgivings and vote in favour. |
| Several Civic Democrat senators have already vowed to send the Lisbon Treaty back to the constitutional court. | |
| Czech President Vaclav Klaus - perhaps the treaty's highest profile opponent - has argued that the treaty would undermine Czech sovereignty. He has not said when he will sign it, if it is approved by the Senate. | Czech President Vaclav Klaus - perhaps the treaty's highest profile opponent - has argued that the treaty would undermine Czech sovereignty. He has not said when he will sign it, if it is approved by the Senate. |
| LISBON TREATY PROGRESS Approved by parliament: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, The Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, UKDefeated by referendum: Irish RepublicChallenges: Legal objections delaying ratification in Germany, Polish president also delaying ratification, Czech upper house yet to vote on treaty | LISBON TREATY PROGRESS Approved by parliament: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, The Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, UKDefeated by referendum: Irish RepublicChallenges: Legal objections delaying ratification in Germany, Polish president also delaying ratification, Czech upper house yet to vote on treaty |
| The treaty is seen by opponents as a way to impose a federalist agenda, undermining national sovereignty. | The treaty is seen by opponents as a way to impose a federalist agenda, undermining national sovereignty. |
| There is pressure from some Czech politicians to delay ratification until parliament backs the plan to host a radar base for a US missile defence shield. | There is pressure from some Czech politicians to delay ratification until parliament backs the plan to host a radar base for a US missile defence shield. |
| The Republic of Ireland was the only EU member state to hold a referendum on Lisbon. Other governments argue that it is an amending treaty which does not change the EU enough to justify a referendum. | The Republic of Ireland was the only EU member state to hold a referendum on Lisbon. Other governments argue that it is an amending treaty which does not change the EU enough to justify a referendum. |
| In Germany the treaty has gone before the constitutional court. Poland's President Lech Kaczynski is also delaying ratification, insisting that the Irish battle over Lisbon must be resolved first. | In Germany the treaty has gone before the constitutional court. Poland's President Lech Kaczynski is also delaying ratification, insisting that the Irish battle over Lisbon must be resolved first. |