All EU members must ratify the Lisbon treaty if it is to take effect. There is the big question of the referendum on the treaty in Ireland, the only country to stage it. "If the result is not positive, a usual European crisis will start.
Then we will look for Merkel Receives Award for Promoting European Unity ...
CzechRep may face trial over recognition of qualifications ... some solution. However, at present, no one is ready to consider that the outcome may not be good," Schwarzenberg said. Schwarzenberg said he did not consider the Czech Republic a risk factor. The Constitutional Court that is to review the treaty upon a request by the Senate (prompted by its members elected for the governing Civic Democratic Party, ODS) may "find some minor flaws that would have be redressed," but the parliament will probably pass the treaty, Schwarzenberg said. Schwarzenberg said migration and the role of new EU institutions, suggested by the Lisbon treaty, were on the agenda of the talks. Migration is a big problem that will affect, sooner or later, the Czech Republic, too, he added. "As the Czech Republic is no island, we have to contribute to its solution," Schwarzenberg said. France will assume the EU presidency on July 1 and it will be succeeded by the Czech Republic on January 1, 2009. If the Lisbon treaty is ratified by the end of the year, the Czech Republic will be the first country to hold EU presidency along the new model. Schwarzenberg said all participants in the meeting had welcomed the results of the Sunday elections in Serbia, won by pro-European forces. Asked whether the results have influenced the Czech stand on the recognition of Kosovo, Schwarzenberg said he believed that the government would "soon" make the decision and then pass it to the parliament. "I think that we will soon recognise it. We should realise that the recognition is not a matter of ethical principles, but of existing facts," Schwarzenberg said. Schwarzenberg said it was "not quite an easy question," as it dealt with the division of a state. "However, everyone dealing with foreign policy and the responsible ones in particular should consider all pros and cons and then make the decision. Obviously, the decision must be made," Schwarzenberg said. The Czech leftist opposition (the Social Democrats and the Communists) is against the Czech Republic's recognition of Kosovo.
(Ceske Noviny)
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