Signs of accord on treaty opt-out

The government will consider separating the vote on Croatia's entrance to the European Union and a Czech opt-out of a key portion of the Lisbon Treaty, but only if it can be assured the opt-out - the so-called "Czech Protocol" - will pass both houses of Parliament, according to Chamber of Deputies Chairwoman Miroslava Němcová (Civic Democrats, ODS).

Prime Minister Petr Nečas (ODS) has said since Croatia was granted unofficial approval in June to join the EU, he intends to submit Croatia's accession treaty to Parliament tied to a vote allowing the Czech Republic to opt out of the Lisbon Treaty's Charter of Fundamental Rights. President Václav Klaus, who was the last EU leader to sign the treaty in 2009, only agreed to do so after the EU approved his demand to opt out of the charter at the time of the next accession treaty.

Klaus argues the charter allows for Germans to reclaim property confiscated from the Sudeten areas after World War II.

The opposition Social Democratic Party (ČSSD), which maintains a Senate majority, has threatened to block Croatia's entrance to the EU if the votes are connected.

Němcová's announcement that the votes could be separated if the opt-out's passage was guaranteed represents a small step toward a compromise.

"In my view, it's clear that because we linked them from the beginning, there should be only one vote," Němcová, said after a Sept. 26 meeting with the speaker of Croatia's Parliament, Luka Bebić. "[But] if there is the legal view that the votes should be held separately with the guarantee that the opt-out ... would be confirmed, there would be no problem."

Bebić said Croatia is not concerned about the Czech Republic holding up his country's accession, which is to take effect in 2013.

"We are firmly convinced the Czech opt-out from the Lisbon Treaty will not affect the ratification and that both houses of Czech Parliament will pass the accession treaty without any problems," he said. "As the ratification will last until June 30, 2013, there will be enough time to cope with the problem."

Jack Buehrer can be reached at
jbuehrer@praguepost.com