Social Democrats say Lisbon treaty should be ratified as soon as possible

The opposition Social Democrats have asked the Czech government to speed up the ratification of the new EU treaty, signed in Lisbon on Thursday. Deputy speaker of the lower house Lubomir Zaoralek said his party suspected the government – particularly the Civic Democrats – of wanting to delay the treaty’s ratification as much as possible which, he said, would cast doubt on the country’s commitment to the treaty and tarnish the Czech Republic’s image.