Socialists Escape Klaus

[He3]

RTE says some Socialist MEPs walked out on President Vaclav Klaus while he was speaking in the European Parliament today. Apparently he compared the EU system to communism. This upset them according to our State broadcaster.

Anyone have details?

In a press conference later he declined to say whether he would sign off on the Lisbon Treaty, which was approved by the lower house of the Czech parliament this week.

[FutureTaoiseach]

Fair play to him. We dissidents have to stick together.

[Mono]

I haven't heard exactly what he said but when one compares the EU institutional structure to that the old USSR you would be amazed at the similarities.Thou ideologically there is no comparison.

[Horace Horse]

Is there anything more snivelling than a right-wing European "socialist"?
Fair play to Klaus.

[lowtaxireland]

Those Euro-socialists annoy me. They respect nothing, least of all election or referenda results.

[Mister Fogpatches]

Wow, what a mish-mash of tangents...

He3 asks a question...
Future Taoiseach calls the EU majority of Centrists PLUS right-wingers "dissidents"
Mono says that the EU is exactly like the USSR except for the many ways in which it isn't
Horace Horse calls European Socialists "right-wing"
And lowtaxireland blames Euro-socialists for the re-run of the Lisbon Treaty...

Does anyone fancy staying on topic for a couple of pages at least? Lets get stuck into Marx versus the Illuminati on page 17, but the mainstream claiming to be dissidents, drawing weak parallels with the old Sovs, claiming socialists are right-wing and blaming anyone vaguely pinker-than-thou for the Lisbon re-run (FF/PDs/Sarkozy/Merkel/Berlusconi??? Where's the Leftie???) are stretching it a bit for page one of a thread.

[He3]

Finally found some details - here on the BBC.

BBC NEWS | Europe | Czech leader scorns EU politics

Czech President Vaclav Klaus has accused the European Parliament of contributing to a sense of political alienation among EU citizens.

Mr Klaus told MEPs in Brussels that "between citizens and EU representatives there is a great distance - not only geographically".

The Czech Republic currently holds the EU's six-monthly rotating presidency.

Some MEPs walked out of the chamber during Mr Klaus's speech, which was punctuated by both applause and boos.

The Czech leader criticised those EU politicians who "assume that there is only one possible correct future for European integration, which is ever closer union".

"Here, there is only one alternative and those who dare think about a different option are labelled enemies of European integration," he said.

I find their report somewhat more illuminating than the RTE news report that sparked this thread.

[Lthse]

The BBC 'forgot' to include this:

3News

The European Union has turned into an undemocratic and elitist project comparable to the Communist dictatorships of eastern Europe that forbade alternative thinking, Czech President Vaclav Klaus told the European Parliament on Thursday.

[Lthse]

Oops spoke to soon

He spoke of the "bureaucratisation of the decision-making process" in the EU, likening the trend to the totalitarian communism that stifled Czech democracy for more than four decades.

[He3]

The BBC 'forgot' to include this:

3News

They didn't forget it at all. Have a look at the link I posted. It's right there. Here is some more from their story.

'No European nation'

He spoke of the "bureaucratisation of the decision-making process" in the EU, likening the trend to the totalitarian communism that stifled Czech democracy for more than four decades.

"The Lisbon Treaty would make the problem even worse... since there is no European 'demos' [populace], no European nation," he added.

"This defect cannot be solved by strengthening the role of the European Parliament. It would on the contrary make the problem worse and lead to greater alienation of European citizens."

But he insisted that "EU membership does not have any alternatives".

The Lisbon Treaty would boost MEPs' legislative powers in a number of areas. A handful of countries have not yet ratified it - including the Czech Republic. All must ratify it for it to take effect.

Mr Klaus has steadfastly refused to fly the EU flag over Prague Castle, and in December he had a row with some visiting MEPs, who criticised his sceptical stance on the EU.

"Let's not underestimate the fears of citizens of many member countries - they feel their ability to influence decisions is very limited," Mr Klaus told the parliament on Thursday.

"Let's not allow a situation where citizens live with a feeling of resignation that the European project is not their own."

Mr Klaus said the priority for Europe must be prosperity, and he blamed the current economic crisis on political meddling in the free market.