EU hostage in Central Europe

It is a war without deads, without smoke and without rockets. But it is tough, because it is about the future. Lisbon Treaty has now being ratified in parliaments of Central European countries. Treaty is only re-dressed former euroconstitution against which there was such a big defiance.
Defiance is still firm. Polish Sejm will decide about treaty after a long quarrell between prime minister and president whose peak was at weekend five hours meeting on the beach of Baltic Sea.
The core of the problem was mainly fight between political parties: oposition conservative Law and Justice party was under cover of defense of national interests and Christian character of society seeking some points to gain. Party has inside problems and very low support in pools. But it almost crashed, was almost split and president (brother of head of the party) made possible to get out of the clash with honesty.
Polish problem with Lisbon Treaty started to gain attention abroad. And similarly, Europe starts to watch closely Slovakia, where Lisbon Treaty also has became core of the clash between government and opposition. Right wing opposition has took Treaty, which needs to be passed with constitutional majority, as hostage in debate about new press law. Leftwing and nationalist governing coalition wants to pacify unfriendly press by new law.
Now it looks that prime minister Robert Fico will let parliament to vote on Lisbon Treaty, it will not pass by five votes and all ratification process in EU will get into trouble. Maybe he appeals to european consciousness of rightwing politicians, who - while being in government for eight years - turned Slovakia from semiautocracy of government of Vladimir Mečiar in 1990s to european path. And now they could feel a bit stupid to be blamed of paneuropean trouble.
But at the same time, new prees law is also a big problem, because it dictates unprecedently wide right for the answer for poiticians in newspapers. Really, it is very awkward decision.
Czech eurosceptics are using majority of rightwing conservative ODS party in Senate to test Lisbon Treaty at Constitutional Court. Its Charter of fundamental rights is - according to Czech and also Polish defenders of national rights - restricting national sovereignty.
Therefore, what is European union for Centraleuropeans? Cashmachine full of money, source of nonsensical orders and laws or secretly built centralized eurostate?
The only ones with clear position are Hungarians. They had ratified Lisbon Treaty as the first EU member state already in December of last year, just few days after it was signed.

Deals without us. Or not?

Well, we are in the finish. Exactly, it is not a race, even it looks like that. Czech Republic will sing an angreement about hosting American base of antimissile shield during next few weeks. Poles, after disruption due to change of government and new conditions, are finally finishing also. Last news is that until June they want to have an agreement for their part of shield. Maybe they will get their Patriots, who knows?
Czech and Polish government officials are partially teasing each other, who will make better deal. Czechs prefer to have educational, research and develompemnt deals accompanying radar site, while Poles want hardware for their army. Only history will tell us who was better negotiator.
But there is another part of deal, which is done over heads of Czechs and Poles - between Russians and Americans. Now it looks like Mr. Bush and Mr. Putin will make some deal on missile defense next week while meeting in Bucharest or Sochi. Only top diplomats know what kind of deal it is - Czech officials already said that they accept inspections of Russian experts under certain conditions. For recent Czech governement is more important to have American base on Czech soil, therefore to achieve strategical choice which any future (leftwing) government will not be able to change. To pay such price as Russian inspection is maybe worth it.
But, what the hell is in the Russian-American deal I would like to know. Mr. Robert Gates and Ms. Condoleezza Rice were smiling too much while visiting Moscow last week...

Travel to Olympics? No, thank you.

Going or not going to China? That is the question. At least for some politicians in Central Europe. Czech president Vaclav Klaus, outspoken Eurosceptic and refusenik of global warming, wrote at his webpage (www.klaus.cz), that he will not attend Olympic games. Reason? Nobody exactly knows, Mr. Klaus did not elaborate.
But debate in Europe is gaining momentum. French president Nicolas Sarkozy said that nothing is decided. Head of European parliament Hans-Gert Pöttering recommended to his colleagues not to go to China in August.
There are discussions in Poland, but not in Slovakia, whose premier Robert Fico is well known for his close ties to regimes like Chinese or recent Bielarussian one.
Czech Republic is modelling itself to role of defender of human rights in legacy of Vaclav Havel. President Klaus, who is thought to be close to his Serbian or Russian friends and partners, surprised by his decision not to go to China. Well, Czech Republic is not an IMPORTANT trade partner for Chinese, but Czech business is doing rather well in China and some business people certainly worry about official policy line (already Czech minister of education and sport Ondrej Liska (Green Party) decided not to attend official ceremonies in Beijing). Third and last invited Czech politician, premier Mirek Topolanek, has still to make up his mind.
Well, Central Europe is not just growingly important region for carmakers, but is also part of what Donald Rumsfeld called "New Europe" - closer to the United States, wary of Russia and with growing self-confidence and having important bunch of votes in European Union.
EU is not an entity well known for its clarity and rapid decision making. But New Europe could add something of this sort, based on experience of forty years of communist rule. And debate about travel to Olympic games to Beijing is example of such debate, where postcommunists could and should have different opinion than their Western colleagues.
Decision of Mr. Klaus is surprise, he was known more of being moderate on human rights issues. He does not explain, why he is not planning to go to Beijing. But definitely it is another proof that politics in New Europe is maturing and is able to make decisions for itself and not just wait for regulations either from Moscow or from Brussels.

Oh, these Russians!

Prague is still not the best place to live in. At least, from the point of view of new books. I am desperately waiting for Edward Lucas's new book New Cold War, which I ordered in one English bookshop in the centre of Prague. "Leave us email, we will give you a note," was last version.
I am getting suspicion on them. There are many things which you could blame Russians on: nervosity about gas supplies, high prices of property in Karlovy Vary (Carlsbad), fear of Russian spies in Czech army and government, demonstrations against planned US antimissile radar. But supplies of books from London? If I would not decide to save money for Amazon delivery, I would already had it, but in above mentioned book shop they promised month ago that book comes quickly.
Therefore I wait and wait. Last time when I called to bookshop, there was some Russian voice speaking from behind, so my suspition have grown.
But maybe it is only Russofobia, which I am pracitising. Mr. Putin's policy from last years forced me to refresh my Russian from good old school days, when we all had to learn that language (familiar story to all postcommunists). I am not complaining about Russian literature or culture, but to learn it as a MUST, one cannot love it too much. But thanks to basic knowledge of Russian alphabet and language I did not have big problems to learn other Slavic languages in Balkans. Last year, when Bulgarian sisters were released from Libya, I found myself translating report from our sister Bulgarian newspaper and realizing that as byproduct of journalistic carreer I have learnt almost all Slavic languages - at least passively.
What we had learnt in school in Russian language classes was usualy for nothing. I can still extract from my head words of some communist songs, but to ask for towel in hotel or for menu in restaurant I have to search in dictionary.
But, whatever we think, Russia is back. And we in Central Europe feel the heat of breath of Russian bear. We still remember his embrace, his tightness, his determination, even many Czechs are still pro-russian and leftists (read pro-soviet and pro-russian also). But as pragmatist Czechs (read Good soldier Svejk for explanation), we aplaud loudly that between us and Russia there are other states being buffer zone.