The Czech Constitutional Court delayed a key ruling on the Lisbon Treaty this morning, setting a new session for tomorrow. The country's president, Vaclav Klaus - who has signalled he will not sign the treaty unless it is ratified by Ireland even if the constitutional court rules it is line with Czech law - addressed the court and said approval of the treaty threatened the Czech Republic's sovereignty.
"There is no and there can be no dispute... the proposed Lisbon treaty is in conflict with some articles of the Czech constitutional order," Mr Klaus said.
A positive ruling, which most observers expect, will allow the Czech parliament to forge ahead with ratifying the document, which has already been adopted by all EU member-states with the exception of the Republic.
A positive ruling does not guarantee smooth and quick ratification however, given the opposition among some in the ruling party. Right-wing Prime Minister Mirek Topolanek, who dislikes the treaty but says it is a price worth paying for EU membership, has said ratification was unlikely before the end of the year.
A 'no' vote would require a Czech constitutional change before ratification went ahead, something which would give ammunition to opponents of the treaty in the ranks of the ruling Civic Democrat Party, supported by harshly eurosceptic who refuses to cede national powers to the EU.
Mr Klaus whose powers as president are largely ceremonial, is a fierce critic of the European Union. and has signalled he will not sign the Lisbon treaty unless it is ratified by Ireland, even if the constitutional court rules it is line with Czech law.
Speaking yesterday, Mr Klaus insisted: "Only afterwards it would be the presidential signature's turn. I have no reason to be another European to urge Ireland to do something. Simply, no change can occur without Ireland changing its position
He warned that the treaty would result in a "fatal restriction of the national sovereignty."
Czech prime minister Mirek Topolanek has said his government would ratify the treaty early in the new year if the court rules it is line with the Czech constitution.
It remains legally unclear if the presidential signature of Mr Klaus is required to complete the ratification process
The Czech Republic will hold EU presidency in the first half of 2009 and is the only EU country in which neither parliament nor the public have as yet voted on the treaty designed to reform EU institutions.
French officials said they were working closely with the Irish Government to fix a timetable for a new referendum on the treaty in Ireland in late 2009.
After a meeting between French president Nicolas Sarkozy and German chancellor Angela Merkel in Paris yesterday, a senior French official told reporters: "We hope that the Lisbon Treaty does not get delayed too much and we are therefore working with the Irish for a timetable [for a new vote] that will be fixed towards the end of 2009."
Mr Sarkozy said France and Germany were united on the need to get the Lisbon Treaty ratified in all 27 EU member states.
French officials believe the financial crisis could change Irish voters' opinion towards the treaty.
"All of a sudden Europe has become popular . . . We are stronger together," said the official, who noted that an EU declaration on issues of concern to Irish voters may help change their mind. "It will reassure them that the Lisbon Treaty has nothing to do with abortion, does not call into question their neutrality and does not raise any problems concerning tax," said the official, who did not want to be named.
The Government has so far refused to confirm whether it will put the Lisbon Treaty to a second vote but speculation is mounting in Brussels that Taoiseach Brian Cowen will tell EU leaders at a summit next month that October 2009 is a possible date.