Prague - The lower house of the Czech parliament approved Wednesday the Lisbon Treaty, thus keeping alive plans to streamline the EU institutions in the 27-member bloc. 

The Czech MPs voted 125 to 61 to adopt the treaty. The approval required a so called constitutional majority of 120 voters out of 200-seat lower house.

Among those that voted for the text were Social Democrats, Greens, Christian Democrats and some Civic Democrats. Those who clearly said nNo the to docuent were some Civic Democrats and Communists.

"I am happy that the treaty was approved by the lower house," said PM and chairman of the ruling Civic Democratic Party Mirek Topolánek.

"But we have a Congress resolution here that relate to the radar base deal with the U.S. and approvaing changes in the rules of procedure and the contact law. If these two conditions are approved, then the Lisbon Treaty can be ratified," said Topolánek.

The Czech Republic was one of the few countries in the 27-member bloc that have not ratified the document yet.

The Lisbon Treaty is the EU 4th constitutional revamp since 1991.

Problems in other countries

Irish voters said NO to the reform treaty in a referendum last June. But the Irish government is currently planning to hold a new referendum. Ireland is the only country in the EU to have held a plebiscite on the treaty.

Poland conservative government has argued that without Ireland´s ratification Poland cannot approve the document.

The treaty cannot come into force unless all 27 EU member states approve the Treaty.

The Treaty of Lisbon went earlier to the Czech Constitutional Court where in his speech President Václav Klaus, a well-known euro-skeptic, said that the Treaty would undermine the national sovereignty. But the Court found no such threat and approved the treaty.

German Constitutional Court has earlier approved the treaty as well.

The treaty will have to be approved by the Czech Senate. Some senators are expected to try to delay the ratification.