Czech Republic Set to Back Lisbon Treaty in 2009

Fischer held talks with European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso by videophone on Wednesday. Photo by i3.cn.cz

The Czech PM, Jan Fischer, has told EU leaders he fully expects his country to ratify the EU's Lisbon Treaty by the end of this year.

The Czech Constitutional Court is studying a complaint against the treaty and the Eurosceptic Czech President, Vaclav Klaus, has not yet signed it, the BBC reported.

The Lisbon Treaty cannot take effect unless all 27 EU countries ratify it. All but the Czech Republic and Poland have done so.

Fischer held talks with European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso by videophone on Wednesday.

Fischer said "everything is in place" for ratification of the treaty. Under the EU's original plan, Lisbon was supposed to take effect in January this year.

Barroso welcomed Fischer's assurance, saying "this commitment of the Czech government is very clear".

The treaty aims to streamline EU decision-making and boost the EU's role globally.

The Czech parliament has already approved the treaty, but a group of senators allied to President Klaus have launched a new legal complaint.

Poland is expected to complete ratification in a few days' time.

On Saturday voters in the Republic of Ireland backed the treaty overwhelmingly in a second referendum, nullifying the Irish "No" vote of June 2008.

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