Britannia Radio

eu reform treaty

 

Eurosceptical Klaus meets EU President Van Rompuy Czech Happenings Klaus ranks among the sharpest opponents of the Lisbon EU reform treaty that embedded the post of "EU president." Neither the Presidential Office nor Van Rompuy´s office have commented on the meeting yet. Before the meeting with Klaus, Van Rompuy met ... See all stories on this topic » Eurosceptical Klaus meets EU President Van Rompuy published: 23.02.2011, 17:26 | updated: 23.02.2011 17:33:38 Prezidenta EU přijal na Hradě i euroskeptik Klaus Prague - European Council President Herman Van Rompuy today met Eurosceptical Czech President Vaclav Klaus at Prague Castle, the presidential seat, outside which EU opponents staged demonstrations on this occasion. Klaus ranks among the sharpest opponents of the Lisbon EU reform treaty that embedded the post of "EU president." Neither the Presidential Office nor Van Rompuy´s office have commented on the meeting yet. Before the meeting with Klaus, Van Rompuy met Prime Minister Petr Necas (Civic Democrats, ODS). At their following press conference they denounced the violence that Muammar Gaddafi´s regime uses against the demonstrators calling for his departure. Klaus is well-known for his critical stances on the EU. He, for instance, refused to hoist the EU flag at the presidential seat. Van Rompuy talked to Klaus last year when he visited Prague to meet Czech politicians. After the then meeting, Klaus said they had completely different views of the EU functioning. Klaus did not utter any statements on the EU today. He, however, expressed his reserved stance on the EU institutions by avoiding calling Van Rompuy "president" and addressing him "Mr chairman" instead, though his official function is "the President of the European Council." Some 50 people protesting against "the EU dictate" and the proposed "competitiveness pact" were waiting for Van Rompuy outside Prague Castle. Among the protesters were supporters of the extra-parliamentary parties, Sovereignty of Jana Bobosikova and the Party of Free Citizens (SSO), as well as some followers of the D.O.S.T. initiative and the Reforms.cz civic association whose chairman Vit Jedlicka burnt an EU flag in protest against the Union. SSO head Petr Mach called the "competitiveness pact" another EU attempt to push through the unification of the EU member states´ economic policy, including taxes. It is a trick how to strengthen the central power of Brussels, Mach added. The demonstrators chanted slogans, such as "Herman go home," and carried banners reading "We do not want European debts" and "No to uniform taxes." Some of the SSO followers carried rags on poles as an allusion to the words by some opponents of Van Rompuy who said he had "the charisma of a wet rag." Author: ČTK www.ctk.cz