Czech Republic
Lidové Noviny, 16 October 2009

Nation rallies behind Klaus

Published on 16 October 2009 at 16:14
Lidové Noviny, 16 October 2009

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Leading with the headline, "Klaus fighting for us! say Czechs,“ Lidové Novinyreports on an exclusive survey, which indicates that the Czech President's sabotage of the Lisbon Treaty has the backing of 65 % of his fellow citizens. The survey also reveals that "approximately two thirds of the population fear that greater European integration would undermine the Beneš decrees," and enable Sudeten Germans to recover property seized at the end of the Second World War. As the daily notes, this sensitive issue for the Czechs has become the latest weapon deployed by Václav Klaus in his battle against the treaty.

Breaking the silence maintained by the rest of the Czech political establishment, yesterday, former president Václav Havel launched an attack on Klaus's negative position, which he deems to be "dangerous and irresponsible." However, this will apparently not be enough to stem the tide of popular support for the eurosceptic president — a phenomenon which continues to baffle*Lidové Noviny*. In conclusion the daily avers that the backers of treaty have a credibility problem: "No politician has been able to convince the public to accept Lisbon, which is a wonderful invention that Europe needs if it is to avoid collapse."

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