President Klaus speaks out against European integration

President Vaclav Klaus has sharply criticised the European integration process. Speaking at a conference on economics in Munich on Friday, Mr Klaus said some European politicians, who he referred to as unionists and federalists, wanted to create a centralised European superstate. The president, who in the past has referred to himself as a Eurorealist, said the integration process should be halted because real democracy cannot exist in a structure which is bigger than a nation state. A referendum is to be held in the middle of next month on whether the Czech Republic should accede to the European Union. If the referendum is passed the country is expected to join the union in May 2004.