Czech PM claims Lisbon would not pass in his country

THE Czech prime minister got a tongue-lashing from members of the European Parliament yesterday when he told them the Lisbon treaty was worse than the Nice treaty and would not pass in his country.

His country has not yet ratified Lisbon after the country’s Eurosceptic President Vaclav Klaus referred it to the Constitutional Court, which gave it a clean bill of health in December.

Prime Minister Mirek Topolanek, who is currently prime minister of the country that holds the EU presidency, is the man who will be responsible for finalising guarantees to Ireland on neutrality, abortion, tax and social issues.