Czech PM says Lisbon Treaty should come into effect by year end

Czech Prime Minister Jan Fischer has said the government is willing to discuss President Václav Klaus’ demand for an exemption from the EU’s reforming Lisbon Treaty. But he insisted the ratification process could not be reopened and the treaty should be signed by the end of the year.

The Czech President and opponent of further steps towards European integration called on Friday for the Czech Republic to be given guarantees that the treaty could not be used by Germans expelled from Czechoslovakia after WWII to reclaim their property.

Prime Minister Fischer said he did not share President Klaus’ fears about a threat to the so-called Beneš decrees ― which paved the way for the Sudeten Germans expulsion. He added that the government had not been consulted about the president’s last minute condition.

The Czech Republic is the last country to ratify the Lisbon Treaty after Polish President Lech Kaczynski went ahead with the step on Saturday. The treaty is due to take effect at the start of 2010 when all 27 EU states have completed ratification.