Klaus, Kaczynski say Lisbon should not enhance EU centralisation

They said the EU should remain an association of states, it should not transform into a superstate.

At the same time, Klaus and Kaczynski supported the EU´s further enlargement.

"I think our countries must learn to act in this new legal framework. We mainly have to try hard for the Lisbon Treaty not to be a mere opening of the door to further radical unification and centralisation of Europe," said Klaus.

"We both speak in favour of [the EU as] an association of states. This does not stem from any rebellion on our part, but from a calm analysis of the situation in Europe where the national states each has it vision of what should be done," said Kaczynski.

The implementation of the Lisbon Treaty in practice will be a long-term process in which attention should be paid to enhancing democracy in the EU, he added.

Kaczynski is on a state visit to the Czech Republic.

Earlier today Klaus presented him with the supreme Czech state decoration, the Order of the White Lion.

Later today Kaczynski is to meet the heads of the two houses of Czech parliament and attend a state dinner.

Kaczynski, 60, and his Czech counterpart Vaclav Klaus, 68, share similar Eurosceptic opinions and both defend certain conservative positions. Both were opposed to the EU´s Lisbon Treaty and were reluctant to add their signature to it. Kaczynski, nevertheless, later changed his negative stand and signed the treaty after the Irish supported it in the repeated referendum.

Klaus, for his part, left the EU anxiously waiting until the last moment. He signed the Lisbon Treaty only in early November after the EU nodded to his demand for a Czech opt-out from the treaty´s EU Charter of Fundamental Rights.

Author: ČTK
www.ctk.cz