Kaczynski to discuss Lisbon Treaty with Klaus on Czech visit

The Polish president, Lech Kaczynski, is holding talks with his Czech counterpart Václav Klaus on Thursday evening. The two heads of state are expected to discuss the ratification of the European Union’s Lisbon Treaty at the Czech presidential retreat Lány, near Prague. Mr Kaczynski had said he would not sign the reform treaty in the wake of Ireland’s rejection of the document, but changed his position after a meeting with Nicolas Sarkozy the president of France, which currently holds the rotating EU presidency. Mr Klaus, who is a euro-sceptic, has consistently expressed opposition to further EU integration.

The Czech Parliament is due to vote on the ratification of the Treaty of Lisbon towards the end of this year, after the Czech Constitutional Court rules on whether it is in line with the Czech constitution. The news website iDnes reported on Thursday that the government of Prime Minister Mirek Topolánek was attempting to persuade the court to rule in favour of Lisbon.