Czech opposition tables debate over US radar agreements

The main opposition party, the Social Democrats, succeeded Tuesday in tabling a debate in the lower house of Parliament Wednesday over the installation of a US radar on Czech soil. The move to debate the bilateral agreement was opposed by the governing coalition. The small Green Party in particular called for a longer delay to give more time to understand the new US administration’s stand on anti-missile defence and defence alternatives within the North Atlantic alliance. The Greens were able to push in February for a postponement of the debate. Prime Minister Mirek Topolánek said over the weekend that the US radar would be built, but probably with a delay compared with original plans. The government later withdrew ratification of the agreements from the lower chamber in a move to sidestep the chance that they would be voted down.