Defenestration of Prague, Number Four
PRAGUE/BERLIN (Own report) - A German EU parliamentarian is calling for impeachment proceedings against the President of the Czech Republic. Should President Václav Klaus not immediately ratify the "Lisbon Treaty" as soon as the Czech Constitutional Court hands down a positive decision, he must be forcibly removed from the country's highest constitutional body, insists the social democrat, Jo Leinen. According to reports, German diplomats have already been taking steps in Prague to find out if this is possible. Also being discussed is the disempowerment of the president through a change in the country's constitution. These interventions are directed against one of Germany's neighbors, whose constitutional bodies have on various occasions been the object of Berlin's foreign policy. The reason for Prague's skepticism toward the "Lisbon Treaty" is that it cannot forget the German expansionism that led to a world war 70 years ago. Even without consideration of the historical contexts, German policy is tearing down democratic minimum standards, which, already at various stages of the ratification process of the so-called Lisbon Treaty, have been ridiculed. The draft treaty favors the transformation of the EU into a globally operating military power and reinforces German hegemony. The massive interference attempts are being accompanied by a nationalist anti-Czech media campaign.
The Czech Republic should launch impeachment proceedings against its President Václav Klaus, if he refuses to sign the "Lisbon Treaty," after a positive Czech Constitutional Court decision, demands the German EU parliamentarian, Jo Leinen (SPD).[1] The court is currently considering a suit brought by several Czech parliamentarians, who see the treaty as being in violation of their country's constitution. Berlin, on the other hand, is applying pressure for a speedy ratification. As the British press reports, German and French diplomats, are in talks with their Czech counterparts, seeking "ways of removing the Klaus obstacle". Besides his impeachment, they are also considering changing the Czech constitution to take away his right of veto.[2] If Klaus refuses to sign the treaty, "he will need to face the consequences," threatened a German diplomat.[3]
Dictate
With the current activities against Prague, Berlin is taking, for the first time, direct measures to depose or disempower a head of an EU member state, who has not accommodated German plans. The measures, which are a mockery to Czech national sovereignty, are once again lowering EU democratic minimum standards. Already with previous steps to impose the draft treaty, the German government had renamed the document that had been rejected in popular referendums (in France and the Netherlands) and, with the same content, resubmitted it for a new decision. In addition Berlin made it clear that should a referendum be unavoidable - as was the case in Ireland - the voting can be repeated until the PR offensive achieves the desired results.[4] With the most recent interventions in Prague, even EU member nations' constitutional laws are no longer off-limits. Even before the draft treaty takes effect, an often expressed criticism of the document proves to be right: Through the so-called European integration, the sovereignty of the member nations will be subverted and they will be exposed to the dictate of the West European hegemonic powers.
Haste
Even the haste, with which Berlin wants to see the draft treaty ratified, is aimed at avoiding democratic processes. The overwhelming majority of the people of Great Britain reject this treaty, which is why the current labor government ratified the treaty without submitting it to a referendum. Now the head of the Conservative Party has announced his intentions to rescind the ratification and hold a referendum, should his party win the next parliamentary elections, if the treaty has not taken effect by that time. A conservative majority is considered assured in the elections scheduled for next spring. If Berlin wants to keep the British population from rejecting the draft treaty in this referendum, the document must - at all costs - finish the ratification process before the British elections. The German government doesn't have much time.
Property Claims
But Berlin has the power to invalidate the Czech president's objections. Václav Klaus is seeking guarantees that the EU Human Rights Charter, which is tied in with the "Lisbon Treaty," not be misused to reinforce property claims raised by the resettled Germans on the Czech Republic. These claims have always been raised by the Sudeten Germans. For example, in 2008, on the occasion of "Human Rights Day", the Chairman of the "Sudeten German Homeland Association," the European parliamentarian, Bernd Posselt (CSU) reiterated that "the collective expulsion and disfranchisement of entire ethnic groups" as well as the "attempt to destroy or permanently uproot them through the liquidation of their means of existence" as a "genocide, and therefore beyond the statute of limitations."[5] To support the revisionist demands of the "Sudeten Germans," Posselt regularly makes reference to the EU's Human Rights Charter's interpretation of human rights. Germany has been systematically keeping all property claims of the resettled Germans open (german-foreign-policy.com reported [6]) regardless of difficulties that could result, not only for the president of the Czech Republic.
Almost Unaltered
The recent measures taken against the Czech President are being accompanied by scathing criticism of the Czech Republic's political elite. In the German media, for example, Klaus is described alternatively as "stubbornly" insisting on his point of view or as "erratically" changing his standpoint. The German ARD radio studio in Prague propagates that Klaus is a "populist and nationalist," a "president going through his defiant phase," who has "obstinately" maintained "his broad-brush view of the world." This president "acting out of conviction" and an "Egomaniac," is the reason why Czechia is seen "as the madhouse of Europe," claims the correspondent of the German state owned radio station about her host country and its head of state. But above all, his "the Germans" fit "his concept of the enemy."[7] In a state-run German radio station, this exceptionally evil representation is only possible, if it has been sanctioned by the political instances. Insults and derisive attacks, such as these, have accompanied Berlin's offensives against the Czech and Czechoslovak presidents, who have sought to fend off German encroachments - almost unaltered - since the days of Edward Beneš.
[1] MEPs call for Klaus's impeachment; Prague Daily Monitor 13.10.2009
[2], [3] Germans seek to oust Czech president Vaclav Klaus over EU treaty; The Sunday Times 11.10.2009
[4] see also Ireland is Everywhere and No means Yes
[5] Bernd Posselt, MdEP zum 10. Dezember; Pressemeldung der Union der Vertriebenen 08.12.2008
[6] see also Tschechische Republik: "Rückerstattungs- und Vermögensfragen nicht geklärt", Moral Basis, An Educational Venue and Days of Aggression
[7] Christina Janssen: Ein Präsident in der Trotzphase; www.tagesschau.de 10.10.2009