Brussels, 25/03/2009 (Agence Europe) - After the fall of the Czech government (a coalition made up of the Liberal ODS party, the Christian Democrats and Greens) following a vote of no confidence initiated by the Social Democratic opposition at Parliament in Prague on Tuesday evening, the prime minister and current president of the European Council, Mirek Topolánek, took pains to stress that this major internal crisis will have no negative impact on the country's Presidency of the European Council. The European Commission also states that it has every confidence in the Czech constitutional system to manage this political crisis responsibly and to ensure the continuity of the Czech Presidency of the EU. However, a number of members of the European Parliament fear disastrous consequences, not only for the European Presidency, but also for the Czech Republic's ratification of the Lisbon Treaty. The new treaty, which has already been approved by the Czech lower house, has still to be voted through by the Senate, in a ballot which is likely to take place in the next few weeks.
“We are dealing with the obstruction of the Social Democrats in the Czech Republic (...). But do not worry, this situation will have no impact on the Presidency of the Union (...). The Czech Presidency will continue to do its job", Mr Topolánek told the European Parliament on Wednesday morning, during its plenary session in Strasbourg. "There are no grounds for concern, none at all. We are a serious and responsible Presidency (of the EU)", which will continue to function with the same efficiency, insisted Alexandr Vondra, the Czech deputy prime minister and current president of the "General Affairs" Council. Mr Topolánek pointed out that changes of government have previously occurred on two occasions in countries holding the European Presidency at the time (in Denmark in 1993 and Italy in 1996) without leading to any negative consequences for their work. Mr Topolánek has pledged to "adhere to the constitutional order", which provides that the prime minister must now submit his resignation to the president of the republic, Vaclav Klaus, who will decide to whom to entrust the composition of a new government. "At the moment, this situation has no effect on the role of the president of the European Council held by the president of the strongest party in the parliament”, the Czech Presidency explained. Jiri Paroubek, the leader of the Social Democrats in opposition, would be prepared to agree for the defeated government to remain in place to carry out ongoing business until the end of the European Presidency, when it is likely that new elections will be held. It will be up to President Klaus to decide on the next steps.
The Commission is sticking to the provisions of the treaty, which stipulate that the country holding the rotating Presidency of the Council is represented by the government recognized as such under the constitutional rules of the country in question. "The Commission has full trust that the national constitutional law allows for the Czech Republic to continue conducting the Council Presidency as effectively as it has done until now", it stated in a declaration published on Tuesday evening. It is optimistic that the political crisis will be resolved in such a way as to ensure the full functioning of the European Presidency. At the EP on Wednesday, José Manuel Barroso simply stated that the "Czech Presidency deserves our full support".
The president of the EP, Hans-Gert Pöttering, also said that the defeat of the Czech government "should have no bearing on the work of the Presidency" of the EU. "We must encourage the Presidency to ensure that the process of ratification for the Lisbon Treaty continues", he stressed. Mr Topolánek said on Wednesday that he would do all in his power to ensure that the Treaty is ratified by his country, but he also stressed the responsibility of those behind the vote of no-confidence, Mr Paroubek's Social Democrats, in the event that the vote on the treaty is called into question. Jo Leinen (PES), the president of the committee on constitutional affairs of the EP, also called for the vote of the Czech Senate on the Lisbon Treaty not to be compromised by the fall of the government. Europe cannot be taken hostage by the internal political struggles of a member state, he said. Elmar Brok (EPP-ED) fears the worst for the treaty. After the defeat of his government (even though he is to remain in place to oversee ongoing business until the end of the European Presidency), Mr Topolánek may no longer have sufficient political influence over the members of the Senate, where many of the ODS members are personally opposed to the Treaty of Lisbon, said Mr Brok. "President (Vaclav) Klaus has won his battle against Europe", said Mr Brok, quoted on Spiegel online. Daniel Cohn-Bendit (Greens) also inclines to the view that the ratification of new treaty by the Czech Republic is now in danger.
Also on Wednesday, Mr Topolánek confirmed that he hoped that the June European Council would reach a "political agreement" on appointing the president of the future European Commission. Referring to the Parliament's request to be consulted on this appointment, once the results of the European elections are announced, it has not been ruled out that the European Council, initially scheduled for 18 and 19 June, could be put back to allow longer for consultations with the newly elected EP. (H.B./trans.fl)