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Current AffairsCzech government approves referendum bill
The Czech government on Wednesday approved a referendum bill that would
allow the public to decide about fundamental issues relating to the
country's internal and foreign policy. If it gets through parliament, it
will open the door to a referendum on the EU Constitution.
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One on OneEurope Minister Vladimir Müller - Czechs will say "Yes" to Constitution
In this week's One on One, Rob Cameron speaks to Vladimir Müller, the Czech
Republic's deputy foreign minister for Europe. How will the Czech Republic
ratify the EU constitution, with a eurosceptic president installed in
Prague Castle and continued political turmoil delaying the announcement of
a referendum? More
Current AffairsBritish Minister for Europe Denis MacShane visits the Czech Republic
With the British six-month presidency of the EU starting in July, the UK
Minister for Europe Denis MacShane made a one-day trip to the Czech
Republic on Thursday to discuss various European issues with his Czech
counterparts. As well as meeting the Czech Foreign Minister Cyril Svoboda,
Minister MacShane gave a lecture at Prague's Charles University on a matter
that has aroused great controversy in both countries - the planned European
constitution.
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Current AffairsOn-third of EU citizens unware the European Constitution exists; Czechs among the least in favour of adopting it
One out every four Members of the European Parliament — and two-thirds of
the Czech MEPs — last month voted against adopting the European
Constitution, that rather lengthy and complex document designed to govern
relations between the now 25 EU Member States. Most Czech MEPs said they
rejected the European Constitution because of the proposed formulas by
which countries are "weighted" — meaning how much voting power
they will have in future. If you have no idea what we're talking about,
you're in good company —a newly released survey by the Eurobarometer
agency showed that every third EU citizen is unaware that the European
Constitution even exists. More
Current AffairsEuropean Parliament endorses EU Constitution, Civic Democrats still fighting against it.
The European Parliament on Wednesday overwhelmingly endorsed the European
Union's first Constitution, which aims to streamline the way the EU works.
Nearly all the mainstream parties in the 732 member Parliament supported
the treaty, with 500 deputies in favour, 137 against and 40 abstaining
from the vote. The European Constitution will only come into force if all
25 member states ratify it, and one of the countries where the
ratification process is seen as potentially problematic is the Czech
Republic. Although the coalition government is strongly in favour, the
leading opposition party the Civic Democrats, along with the communists
who between them hold two thirds of the country's seats in the European
Parliament raised their hands against it. We called Jan Zahradil, of the
Civic Democrats, to ask why he voted against the European Constitution:
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