Brussels, 18/03/2008 (Agence Europe) - On Monday evening 17 March, Polish President Lech Kaczynski announced that he would soon be presenting his own draft law for ratification of the Lisbon Treaty by the Polish parliament. The two Kaczynski brothers (one is the president, the other is the head of the opposition at the Diete) oppose the draft ratification law presented by the government of Donald Tusk, which, in their opinion, does not sufficiently protect Poland's interests (EUROPE 9624). Votes from the party led by Jaroslaw Kaczynski, Law and Justice (PiS), will be needed to obtain the two thirds majority required for parliamentary ratification. The president's draft text aims to ensure that Poland is in no way tied to the European Charter of Fundamental Rights, on which Warsaw obtained an exemption in the treaty (the very conservative president is particularly afraid of the rights contained in the charter that might encourage Germans to reclaim compensation for property lost in former German territory or those which would oblige Poland to accept homosexual marriage). Lech Kaczynski also wants decisions on other derogations negotiated by Poland to be decided by “national consensus”, which require not only the government's agreement but also that of the parliament and president. According to a poll, 75% of Poles support ratification of the treaty, 7% are against and 18% do not have an opinion about it. (H.B.)