Topolánek warns Czechs may be left without EU commissioner if Lisbon not ratified

Head of the Civic Democrats Mirek Topolánek met president of the European Commission Jose Manuel Barroso in Brussels on Tuesday and warned after the meeting that if the Czech Republic failed to ratify the Lisbon treaty, the country could be left without a European commissioner for the next five years. Mr Topolánek said that he would stake his ‘political future’ on the ratification of the EU reform document in the Czech Republic. On Wednesday, leader of the Czech Social Democrats, Jiří Paroubek will also meet Mr Barroso to discuss nominations for the Czech Republic’s next euro-commissioner. It is thought that the Social Democrats would like current Czech EU commissioner Vladimír Špidla to remain in office for the next five years. The Civic Democrats are thought to favour either former European Affairs Minister Alexandr Vondra, or Mr Topolánek himself, for the commission post.