Czech court lifts final hurdle to EU treaty ratification

The Czech Republic's Constitutional Court Tuesday ruled the European Union's Lisbon Treaty "not at odds" with the Czech constitution, court chairman Pavel Rychetsky said.

That removes the final hurdle to ratification of the pact, which has been agreed by the bloc's other 26 member states.

The closely-watched ruling clears the way for Czech President Vaclav Klaus, the sole obstacle to the pact's coming to force, to ratify the accord. The EU wants the Lisbon Treaty to become valid Jan 1.

Klaus, a treaty opponent who has been holding out on his signature since the Czech parliament approved the treaty in May, effectively vowed to ratify the pact after the court gives him a green light.

It remains unclear when the president would do so. On Wednesday, Klaus is set to start a four-day working visit in the US. He is to return to Prague on Saturday evening, his website said.

On Monday, he is set to attend a celebration of the 20th anniversary of the Berlin Wall collapse in the German capital.

Leaders of EU member states met another of the president's conditions for his signature on the accord at their top-level Brussels summit Thursday.

They agreed to give the Czech Republic an exemption from a part of the treaty, EU's Charter of Fundamental Rights, which Klaus views as a threat to Czech citizens' property rights.

The controversial Lisbon Treaty - born out of a previous attempt to introduce a constitution to the EU, which was rejected in French and Dutch referendum - introduces posts of the bloc's president, who would replace rotating presidencies, and a foreign policy chief.

It also replaces individual nation's vetos with majority voting on a wide range of issues.

--DPA

rd/mr

( 295 Words)

2009-11-03-15:45:38 (IANS)

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