All eyes now turn to the Czech president
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Czech president Vaclav Klaus waves to the cameras at a recent demonstration against the Lisbon Treaty.
Monday October 05 2009
After Ireland's resounding 'Yes' vote, only one man now stands in the way of the Lisbon Treaty coming into force. All eyes now turn to the Czech Republic's deeply eurosceptic president Vaclav Klaus, who is refusing to sign the treaty, even though his own parliament has already endorsed the document.
Mr Klaus says he can do nothing until the Czech constitutional court has ruled on a last-minute legal challenge by a group of senators. But that ruling could take months, thereby delaying introduction of the Lisbon Treaty, due in force at the start of next year.
And publicly nothing can be done about filling two top new posts of president of Europe and foreign secretary unless the Czech president signs off on the treaty.
Meanwhile, British Conservative leader David Cameron has signalled he will call a UK referendum on the Lisbon Treaty if elected next year.
In Brussels, amid celebrations to mark the Irish result, there was concern the Czech president could spin out the Lisbon Treaty agony further.
However, Polish president Lech Kaczynski -- whose signature is also needed -- had promised he would sign up once Ireland had said 'Yes'.
The likelihood is that Mr Klaus will also put pen to paper once the Czech constitutional court has formally considered the senators' objections.
- Geoff Meade in Brussels
Irish Independent
