Brussels - Only one day after the Czech lower house approved the Lisbon Treaty, one of its fiercest critics addressed the members of the European Parliament (MEPs) in Brussels.
The speech of Czech president Václav Klaus earned him applause as well as booing.
Klaus first thanked the present MEPs for having a chance to speak in the EP, calling the MEPs a "unique auditorium" comprised of representatives from so many countries. But soon after he spoke his mind about his views of the 27-member bloc and its integration process.
To stormy applause of the fellow euroskeptics, Václav Klaus challenged the role of the European Parliament on the grounds of missing an opposition in the EP. According to Klaus it is something that every parliamentary democracy has to have to function in a proper way.
Suppressed market etc
Klaus continued in his critique of the European institution, labelling the EU economic system a "system of suppressed market and permanent boost of the centrally managed economy." In his view the only solution, not only in the times of the current economic crisis, is the "market liberalization and deregulation."
In his speech, Klaus repeated a number of times that the Czech Republic has never had any other alternative than to "access the European Union." He said that the Czech Republic would like to contribute in the European integration process and the 6-week EU presidency demonstrates the Czech Republic has been taking their role responsibly.
"I would like to stress and highlight this fact," said Klaus to a booing crowd of MEPs and a handful applauding euroskeptics.
Václav Klaus also said the EU should focus on offering prosperity to Europeans, rather than "closer political union."
But not all the present booed at Klaus, some even praised him. Bruno Waterfield wrote in Telegraph Daily today that "Vaclav Klaus has just given a storming speech to the European Parliament - best I have ever heard in that place," praising his call for freedom of speech.
Czech politicians not surprised
Klaus' speech did not take Czech politicians by surprise. "President Klaus has been holding these views for years and years and they do not make me nervous," Minister for Local Development Cyril Svoboda said. "The main thing is the majority of Czechs are pro-EU and pro-Lisbon Treaty."
Opposition leader Jiří Paroubek said that Czech president likes to provoke and this was his chance. "But I do not consider booing as a good political culture," he opposed to the fact some of MEPs booed during Klaus' speech and left the hall.
"President Klaus provoked and by attacking the European Parliament he crossed the anti-European Rubicon," Christian Democrats' MEP Jan Březina said.
