Poll: Half of Czechs believe Klaus harms Czech Republic's image

Prague, Nov 15 (CTK) - Almost three-fourths of Czechs believe that
President Vaclav Klaus should not present his private views abroad
regardless of the government's position, and a half of them say Klaus, with
his opinions, harms the image of the Czech Republic, Czech Television said
Saturday, citing a STEM poll result.

The poll also mapped people's approach to the Lisbon treaty.

Forty-two percent of those polled said they understand the developments
around the Lisbon treaty, while the rest said they do not.

One-third of Czechs is indifferent to the treaty, one-third supports the
treaty and one-fourth is opposed to it.

Thirty-seven percent would like the Czech Republic to ratify the treaty,
one third is against and the remaining 30 percent are undecided, the poll
showed.

The two Czech junior ruling parties, the Christian Democrats (KDU-CSL) and
the Greens (SZ) support the Lisbon treaty, as do the opposition Social
Democrats (CSSD).

The senior ruling Civic Democrats (ODS) are no big fans of the treaty. The
junior opposition Communists (KSCM) are against it.

Klaus, ODS honorary chairman and a staunch opponent of the treaty, paid an
official visit to Ireland this week where he privately met Declan Ganley,
leader of the Irish opponents of the treaty. Some of the statements Klaus
made at the meeting met with a sharp reaction of the Irish foreign minister
and other European politicians.

"Vaclav Klaus tends to confrontation more and more. More and more he goes
counter to the [Czech] state interests, counter to the opinion of the
others, even in a situation where this openly harms the interests of the
Czech Republic," Czech Television quoted political analyst Jan Kubacek as
saying.

Klaus has a different opinion on his meetings with controversial
politicians. "I think it is one's task, on arrival in a foreign country,
not to speak only to elected people," Klaus told Czech Television.