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| Czech president signs EU reform treaty |
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Wednesday, November 04, 2009
PRAGUE: Czech President Vaclav Klaus reluctantly endorsed the European Union’s crucial reform treaty on Tuesday, ending his efforts to block the proposed pact and paving the way for it to finally enter into force.
Klaus, who has been highly skeptical of increasing the EU’s powers, signed the Lisbon Treaty at the Prague Castle at 3 pm (1400 GMT), hours after his nation’s Constitutional Court ruled that the document was in line with the country’s constitution.
Klaus has been tirelessly attacking the document, claiming it would hand too much power to European Union institutions in Brussels. He was awaiting the Brno-based court’s ruling before deciding whether to endorse it.
“I expected the decision of the Constitutional Court and respect it,” Klaus told reporters on Tuesday afternoon, but added he vehemently disagrees with the verdict.
“The Czech Republic will cease to be a sovereign state,” once the treaty enters into force, he said. Klaus was the last obstacle to the full ratification of the treaty, which is designed to transform Europe into a more unified and powerful global player. The charter, which was bogged down in negotiations for almost a decade, has been ratified by all other 26 EU nations.
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ISSN 1563-9479 
