By Francesca Ross - 9th October 2009
Parliament president Jerzy Buzek is "optimistic" about the prospects of the Czech Republic quickly ratifying the Lisbon treaty following talks in Prague.
After a meeting with Miroslav Vlcek, the country's speaker of the house of deputies on Friday he told a press conference, "the situation is much clearer than it was a few days ago".
Resistance to signing the document into law is coming from Czech president Václav Klaus, who is reported to have asked for a two-line footnote guaranteeing Czech sovereignty to be added to the treaty.
The former dissident leader is said to have concerns over the effect on the Czech constitution of the charter of fundamental rights, which the Lisbon treaty formally brings into European law.
Buzek said that to ensure ratification there was a possibility that the country could be allowed an opt-out from the charter's provisions, much as Poland and the UK have received.
Although Buzek was unable to give specific details from what he called a "personal discussion" with Vlcek he explained, "We have some examples in the past that something similar could be done."
Buzek said "we must go ahead with this issue" and that "generally speaking" he is "optimistic".
Vlcek then told the assembled press that although Klaus had no right to refuse to ratify the treaty he does have the right to ask for conditions.
He explained the question was then whether "these conditions will have to be approved by all 26 states or if they can be accepted in the form of an addendum without having to be ratified".
Whichever way he noted, "Definitely we will need agreement of the other member states for the conditions to be accepted."
Buzek will now meet with Czech prime minister Jan Fischer, Swedish prime minister Fredrik Reinfeldt and commission president José Manuel Barroso over the next 48 hours to try and hammer out a deal.
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