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NewsConstitutional Court makes precedent ruling on age-discrimination case

Current AffairsTreason? Politicians scrap over whether Klaus must sign Lisbon Treaty

There was much rejoicing in Europe last week when Czech senators voted in favour of ratifying the European Union’s Lisbon Treaty, which aims to streamline the way the EU is run with 27 members. But many senators from the centre-right Civic Democratic Party voted against the treaty, and on Tuesday several of them met President Václav Klaus, who also opposes the document – and who must sign the treaty into law for ratification to be complete.  More

Current AffairsGovernment passes bill on foreign missions

A vote in the lower house on Wednesday has ensured that the Czech Republic will continue its foreign military missions for at least another year. Following hours of debate on Wednesday, the government won a majority for the continuation of its missions in Afghanistan and Kosovo in 2009, although troop numbers will be lower than the government had previously hoped. Back in December a draft which would have boosted numbers in Afghanistan substantially was rejected. Even this time around, the government’s footing ahead of the vote appeared shaky.  More

Current AffairsGovernment humiliated over foreign missions bill

It was a humiliating defeat for the Czech governing coalition: at Friday’s session of Parliament the opposition decided to show its strength by rejecting a bill on the Czech Army’s foreign missions. The move has put at stake the future of close to a thousand Czech troops stationed abroad, and has clearly shown the fragility of the Czech government ahead of the country’s EU presidency.  More

Current AffairsLisbon treaty faces further hurdles

After the Constitutional Court ruled on Wednesday that the Lisbon treaty was in line with the Czech constitution, ratification of the key document in the Czech Republic is arguably back on track. But even so, ratifying the treaty may not be easy. Opponents who fear the document erodes national sovereignty and cedes too much power to Brussels, have indicated they will do everything in their power to stop it from being passed. Supporters, meanwhile, would like to see the document ratified as soon as possible, preferably before the Czech Republic takes up the EU presidency on January 1.  More

Current AffairsCivic Institute’s Roman Joch – Irish ratification remains key obstacle to Lisbon

Wednesday’s ruling by the Constitutional Court that the European Union's Lisbon Treaty does not violate the Czech constitution has been welcomed and scorned from the two sides of the Lisbon debate. So what next for Czech ratification and the treaty itself? Radio Prague spoke to Roman Joch, director of the conservative think-tank the Civic Institute.  More

NewsKlaus expects some lawmakers to send Lisbon treaty back to Constitutional Court

NewsConstitutional Court gives green light to vote on Lisbon ratification

Current AffairsKey Lisbon ruling paves way for Czech ratification to begin

Supporters of the EU’s Lisbon Treaty were given cause for celebration on Wednesday morning as the Constitutional Court ruled that the treaty does not violate the Czech Constitution. This landmark ruling paves the way for the Czech parliament to begin the process of ratifying the treaty. The Czech Republic is the only EU member which has not voted on Lisbon, amid a dispute over sovereignty that has pitted the government against president Václav Klaus. But Mr Klaus isn’t giving up yet.  More

Current AffairsCourt session on constitutionality of Lisbon treaty adjourned until Wednesday

All eyes were on the Czech Constitutional Court on Tuesday, where a verdict was expected on whether the EU’s Lisbon treaty is in line with the Czech constitution. If the court had rejected Lisbon, it could well have thrown the EU into disarray. The opposite verdict would have paved the way for the Czech Parliament to vote on ratification. As it happened, the ruling has been postponed until Wednesday.  More