ForMin: Euro referendum casts doubt on Czech pledges to EU

Prague/Manama, Jan 19 (CTK) - By seeking a referendum on the adoption of the euro the Czech Republic casts doubts on what it pledged in its EU accession treaty, Czech Foreign Minister Karel Schwarzenberg (TOP 09) told CTK via his spokesman yesterday.

He reacted to Wednesday's decision by the Czech cabinet that the Czech joining the EU's planned fiscal discipline pact should be decided on within a national referendum on the Czech accession to the euro zone.

"I remain a categorical opponent of a referendum in this area. What we promised in the accession treaty should not be challenged by us in a referendum. This would lead to our losing the position of a serious partner," said Schwarzenberg, who was absent from the cabinet meeting on Wednesday because he has been visiting Bahrain these days.

"I'm taking notice of the cabinet's decision," he added, cited by his spokeswoman Vit Kolar.

The three-party cabinet approved the referendum plan in spite of TOP 09's disagreement with it.

The Czech Republic is not a euro zone member, but on its EU accession in 2004 it pledged to adopt the euro. No date of the euro adoption has been set as yet.

Prime Minister Petr Necas (Civic Democrats, ODS) said yesterday he would prefer people deciding on the EU's new fiscal discipline pact later within a referendum on the adoption of the euro, rather than holding a separate referendum on the pact.

Necas said on Thursday the government will need President Vaclav Klaus's empowerment for negotiating about the treaty and its signature.

Klaus has criticised the treaty and said he will not sign it, however.

The government is to take the final stand on the treaty as soon as its final version is known.

Besides the ODS and the government junior Public Affairs (VV) the possible referendum on the treaty would also be supported by Communists.

In connection with the EU's planned pact, Schwarzenberg told the daily Lidove noviny last week that he would not sit on a government that would lead the country aside the main stream in European integration.