President’s secretary says treaty objections were known

President Klaus’ secretary Ladislav Jakl said in tv interviews on Sunday that members of the former centre-right coalition government knew about his reservations about the Lisbon Treaty and its Charter of Fundamental Rights. Mr Jakl said the reservations were pointed out to the government of former prime minister Mirek Topolánek but negotiations over changes to the treaty were blocked by Green Party government members Karel Schwarzenberg and Martin Bursík.

Former European Affairs minister Alexandr Vondra said on the same programmes that he heard of the president’s specific worries for the first time when they were raised on Friday. Leaders of the right of centre Civic Democrats have criticised President Klaus for not stating his objections earlier.