Lisbon on ice

Ratification of the Lisbon treaty in the Czech Senate will likely remain on the rocks as long as Václav Klaus is the one handing out the political candy, and not Mirek Topolánek. Opposing the treaty is entirely legitimate, but bringing down the government at such a critical moment because of the document is strong medicine. Topolánek told Právo that no one should have allowed such destruction to be done to the EU presidency. He said that it would be a big exaggeration to use the word "treason," but of course he used it anyway. Respekt hinted at this late last year when it explored Klaus's opposition to the treaty and his ties to Russia. Fearing that Lisbon is lost, European politicians hurried to Topolánek's defense over the weekend. They exerted verbal pressure on Czech politicians to put their squabbling aside for long enough to ratify the treaty. What they must realize, though, is that peer pressure isn't going to work on Klaus. He's isolated in Europe, and he has more friends in Moscow than in Brussels. [Czech Republic European Union constitution]