Green Party expresses unease at government's EU stance

The Green Party, a minor partner in the new coalition government, has expressed its concern regarding statements made by Civic Democrat Prime Minister Mirek Topolanek and other government politicians on the future of the EU constitution. Ondrej Liska, the Green Party's chairman of the Chamber of Deputies European affairs committee, said some of the statements made about the document were "too radical". Mr Topolanek is reported to be pushing for the drafting of a new, simpler EU constitution. Mr Liska also expressed unease at the appointment of Eurosceptic Civic Democrat MEP Jan Zahradil as one of the one of Czech Republic's negotiators on the European constitutional treaty.