FRENCH PRESIDENT Nicolas Sarkozy has warned the Czech Republic it will have to face the “consequences” if its president refuses to sign the Lisbon Treaty allowing it to enter into force.
Speaking to reporters following an informal EU leader’s summit in Brussels late on Thursday night, he also praised the “courage” of Taoiseach Brian Cowen for agreeing to hold a second referendum on the treaty.
“We heard a report by Taoiseach Brian Cowen, who has shown great courage . . . it appears things are heading in the right direction,” said Mr Sarkozy, who as president of the EU last December presided over talks with Mr Cowen that ultimately led the Government to hold a second referendum.
Unprompted by journalists, Mr Sarkozy sought to increase the pressure on Czech president Vaclav Klaus, who has so far refused to sign the Treaty in a move that is delaying its ratification in the Czech Republic.
“I stated clearly that if the Irish say Yes, there is no question that we will accept to stay in a no-man’s land with a Europe that does not have the institutions to cope with the crisis,” he said.
“It will be necessary to draw the consequences – but those will be the subject of another meeting,” added Mr Sarkozy, who did not spell out any of the potential consequences that could face the Czech Republic.
Mr Klaus has said he will not sign the Treaty until the Irish people vote Yes and the Czech constitutional court rules on all legal challenges to the Treaty. The Prague court has already dismissed one challenge to the Treaty but anti-treaty activists lodged a new complaint against the Treaty earlier this month. They are expected to lodge a new challenge to the Treaty in early October, following the Irish vote.
This has prompted renewed fears in Brussels that in the event of a delay, and of the Conservatives taking power in Britain, the Treaty could be killed before it is ratified.
According to a report by the EU news agency euractiv.com, Czech prime minister Jan Fischer warned EU leaders privately that a constitutional court challenge could delay ratification in the Czech Republic by between three to six months.
According to unnamed sources, quoted by the news agency, several EU leaders, including Mr Sarkozy, got involved in a heated exchange following Mr Fischer’s presentation.
“It is certainly a fact that several government leaders perceive the ratification process in the Czech Republic with a degree of nervousness,” Mr Fischer told journalists after the meeting.
EU sources confirmed yesterday that a debate had already begun between EU states on the best way to nudge Mr Klaus and the Czech government to ratify the Treaty as soon as possible in the event of a Yes vote in Ireland. Paris wants to pile the pressure on Mr Klaus, arguing that the Czech government and parliament have accepted the Treaty and Mr Klaus is frustrating the will of the people. But other states, including Britain, believe it would be very unwise to push the Czechs into a corner.