Lisbon referendum bill through second reading

A referendum bill on the Lisbon treaty, proposed by the Communist Party, has passed in a second reading, meaning that the lower house’s legal committee will now deal with the legislation. The Communists are seeking a referendum on the Lisbon treaty on the grounds the document, which aims to reform the functioning of the 27-member bloc, will fundamentally change the conditions of the Czechs’ membership. A recent poll suggested that a majority of the public (64 percent) is in favour of ratifying the treaty. In all, 25 other countries have now backed the document in parliament, while Irish voters rejected it in a referendum last June.

Author: Jan Velinger