Czech President Vaclav Klaus has compared the Lisbon Treaty on EU reform to an unstoppable speeding train, suggesting he may have to sign it.A staunch opponent to the treaty, he said even if it did come into force, it would not be "the end of history". He was speaking in an interview with Saturday's Lidove Noviny newspaper. His signature is now virtually the last hurdle before full ratification of the treaty, which is aimed at streamlining the 27-member EU's decision making. "I do not consider the Lisbon Treaty to be a good thing for Europe, for the freedom of Europe, or for the Czech Republic," Lidove Noviny quoted Mr Klaus as saying. "However, the train has already travelled so fast and so far that I guess it will not be possible to stop it or turn it around, however much we would wish to."
Czech President Vaclav Klaus has compared the Lisbon Treaty on EU reform to an unstoppable speeding train, suggesting he may have to sign it.
A staunch opponent to the treaty, he said even if it did come into force, it would not be "the end of history".
He was speaking in an interview with Saturday's Lidove Noviny newspaper.
His signature is now virtually the last hurdle before full ratification of the treaty, which is aimed at streamlining the 27-member EU's decision making.
"I do not consider the Lisbon Treaty to be a good thing for Europe, for the freedom of Europe, or for the Czech Republic," Lidove Noviny quoted Mr Klaus as saying.
"However, the train has already travelled so fast and so far that I guess it will not be possible to stop it or turn it around, however much we would wish to."
He has paralysed the European Union by refusing to ratify the Lisbon treaty and dismisses global warming as a "myth". Yet in one respect Vaclav Klaus, president of the Czech Republic has confounded his reputation as a man who likes to say no -- his predilection for young blonde airline stewardesses. The 68-year-old provocateur now holds the future of Europe in his hands but last year he found himself explaining to his wife, Livia, how he was improving his grasp of aeronautics in the company of yet another comely flight attendant. She was his third. His first recorded indiscretion with a stewardess -- Eva Svobodova -- was in 1991, when he was a rising political star in the post-communist Czechoslovakia. The second was with Klara Lohniska, a 24-year-old flight attendant on his official aircraft. Last year, on the morning after winning re-election, he was photographed outside a hotel in Prague with Petra Bednarova, a 25-year-old stewardess on a government plane. Klaus does not look or sound like a ladies' man. A Financial Times journalist, who once took the Czech leader to tea at Fortnum & Mason in London, noted that he had "no small talk" and challenged nearly everything said to him. Even Fortnum's lapsang souchong was not his cup of tea.
He has paralysed the European Union by refusing to ratify the Lisbon treaty and dismisses global warming as a "myth". Yet in one respect Vaclav Klaus, president of the Czech Republic has confounded his reputation as a man who likes to say no -- his predilection for young blonde airline stewardesses.
The 68-year-old provocateur now holds the future of Europe in his hands but last year he found himself explaining to his wife, Livia, how he was improving his grasp of aeronautics in the company of yet another comely flight attendant. She was his third.
His first recorded indiscretion with a stewardess -- Eva Svobodova -- was in 1991, when he was a rising political star in the post-communist Czechoslovakia. The second was with Klara Lohniska, a 24-year-old flight attendant on his official aircraft. Last year, on the morning after winning re-election, he was photographed outside a hotel in Prague with Petra Bednarova, a 25-year-old stewardess on a government plane.
Klaus does not look or sound like a ladies' man. A Financial Times journalist, who once took the Czech leader to tea at Fortnum & Mason in London, noted that he had "no small talk" and challenged nearly everything said to him. Even Fortnum's lapsang souchong was not his cup of tea.
Slovakia may also seek an opt-out from part of the Lisbon Treaty if the Czech Republic gets an exemption designed to prevent ethnic Germans expelled after World War II from claiming back their property. Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico explained the decision on national TV on Sunday (18 October). The Slovak flag seen though a droplet of water "We will not leave Slovakia in a situation of uncertainty if we feel that one of the seceding countries of former Czechoslovakia has negotiated an exception," he said. "For us the Benes Decrees are such an important part of the rule of law, that we cannot allow for Slovakia to be left in any kind of legal uncertainty." Slovak foreign minister Miroslav Lajcak reinforced the message in a separate TV appearance. "Anything which is to be arranged for the Czech Republic has to be approved by everybody, which means by us as well. We would not agree to something that would leave us at a disavantage," he said.
Slovakia may also seek an opt-out from part of the Lisbon Treaty if the Czech Republic gets an exemption designed to prevent ethnic Germans expelled after World War II from claiming back their property.
Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico explained the decision on national TV on Sunday (18 October).
The Slovak flag seen though a droplet of water
"We will not leave Slovakia in a situation of uncertainty if we feel that one of the seceding countries of former Czechoslovakia has negotiated an exception," he said. "For us the Benes Decrees are such an important part of the rule of law, that we cannot allow for Slovakia to be left in any kind of legal uncertainty."
Slovak foreign minister Miroslav Lajcak reinforced the message in a separate TV appearance.
"Anything which is to be arranged for the Czech Republic has to be approved by everybody, which means by us as well. We would not agree to something that would leave us at a disavantage," he said.
And why is everyone so afraid of Germany? En un viejo país ineficiente, algo así como España entre dos guerras civiles, poseer una casa y poca hacienda y memoria ninguna. -- Gil de Biedma
The multiplication of last-minute amendments to Lisbon is a headache for EU leaders who had hoped to use an upcoming summit in late October to decide on appointments for a new set of senior posts in Brussels.
As he still might be.
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As such, it seems unlikely that a candidate will be selected prior to the next EU summit in Brussels at the end of the month. Swedish Prime Minister Frederik Reinfeldt, current holder of the rotating EU presidency, doesn't think any decisions will be made until December.
