President Klaus rejects call for EU Constitution debate from Lower House chairman

President Vaclav Klaus's office has rejected a call from the chairman of the Lower House of Parliament, Lubomir Zaoralek, for a public debate on the European Union Constitution. The president's spokesman said Mr Klaus was already leading the debate, and indeed had been the first person to raise the issue. President Klaus has been described as the only head of state in the European Union to be publicly opposed to the EU Constitution, and was recently involved in a dispute over the issue with two leading members of the European Parliament.

Meanwhile, the government European affairs information committee has said a planned campaign to persuade Czechs to vote Yes to the Constitution will cost slightly less than originally planned. However, it is still not clear whether ratification will be decided by a referendum or by Parliament.