GERMANY/ EU: Merkel Wins Euro Protection Dispute In "Limited" Lisbon Treaty Rewrite.

LINK CHANGE/ NYTIMES /
     Powerhouse Germany's large contribution to an emergency fund, surging exports and rapid recovery from the financial crisis empowered Chancellor Angela Merkel to get her way in a "limited" rewrite of the EU's Lisbon Treaty to shore up the euro.
     Under a system preferred by Merkel and France's Sarkozy, to be in place by 2013, highly indebted eurozone countries will be forced to restructure their debt in a process of "managed insolvency" and their creditors must take financial "haircuts".
      European Central Bank chief Jean-Claude Trichet and Spain's PM among others objected to her plan.

THE E.U.: Leaders And Their Egos Jostle For Power.

NYTIMES/

There are signs of a growing tension in EU leadership after Spain took possession of the presidency with grand plans even though the position has been diminished by the recently adopted Lisobon Treaty.
Until the Treaty came into force, the E.U. preisdency rotated in six-month terms among all the bloc’s nations. While this bewildered the world and sapped the E.U. of continuity, the system brought prestige to national capitals. Some nations now seem reluctant to surrender the limelight.
Like Spain, Hungary and Poland look especially keen to hog the future spotlight.

EU: Czech's Klaus Finally Signs Lisbon Treaty.

NYTimes/
Vaclav Klaus, the president of the Czech Republic, finally signed the Lisbon Treaty after the country’s Constitutional Court ruled that it was compatible with the Czech Constitution. Klaus was the last EU leader to approve the treaty that needed ratification by all 27 member states.
After his signing, the euroskeptic Klaus said “I cannot agree with its contents because once the Lisbon Treaty will come into effect, the Czech Republic will cease to be a sovereign state.”

Contrarian Euro-skeptic Czech Vaclav Klaus Threatens EU Crisis.

AP VIA GOOGLE NEWS/
The Czech Republic's president, Euro-skeptic Vaclav Klaus, has continuously attacked the Lisbon Treaty. Now Klaus can block it even though he is only a ceremonial head of state — like the Queen of England. Because the Czech Parliament has ratified it, he is legally bound to sign the document. Yet he seems prepared to stall for as long as he can even if polls show that most Czechs want him to sign.
The ultra-conservative Klaus also doubts that humanity is causing global warming and strongly opposes gay marriage.

Poland's President Signs EU Treaty.

BLOOMBERG/
Poland's President Lech Kaczynski, a noted Eurosceptic, signed the Lisbon treaty. Kaczynski said in a speech just before the signing he was "deeply convinced" that the "great experiment" of the treaty would be successful.

Czech "Eurosceptic" Klaus Demands New Lisbon Treaty Footnote Before Signing.

BBC/
The Czech Republic's President Vaclav Klaus has refused to sign the Lisbon treaty until the Czech Constitutional Court rules on a new legal complaint against it, lodged by senators allied to him.
Now, the Swedes say that Klaus also wants a new footnote penned by him to be adopted by the European Council. "I told him this is the wrong message at the wrong time for the EU. I told him clearly it is his ink on the paper that counts and I don't want this to delay the treaty going through as soon as possible,"said a Swedish representative.

Poland's President In No Hurry To Sign EU Treaty.

WSJ ONLINE/
According to a statement released by President Lech Kaczynski's press office, an aide told public radio "nobody says we need to urgently rush" the Lisbon Treaty ratification process.
The aide, Wladyslaw Stasiak, the Polish president's chief of staff, said the president will eventually complete the process.
"Those who say the signature now, even before breakfast, will change something on the E.U. stage are wrong. No, it really doesn't matter," he said.

Irish "Yes" Vote On EU Pressures Lone Eurosceptic,Czech Vaclav Klaus.

BLOOMBERG/
Ireland’s approval of the European Union’s planned governing treaty adds pressure on anti-EU Czech President Vaclav Klaus to give up his one-man campaign against a new-look Europe.
Klaus, 68, is blocking Czech ratification of the treaty, which would create the posts of full-time EU president and foreign minister with the goal of boosting the 27-nation bloc’s global clout.
Klaus was on Czech television yesterday calling the Irish vote “wrong” and said he “will wait for the decision of the constitutional court.”

New Czech Move To Block EU Treaty.

BBC/
Czech senators opposed to the EU's Lisbon Treaty have filed a new complaint against it with the country's constitutional court.
The complaint could create a new delay to treaty ratification, even if Irish voters back the treaty in a referendum on Friday.
Czech President Vaclav Klaus, a eurosceptic, says he will not sign the treaty until the court decides.
The treaty cannot take effect unless all 27 EU member states back it.

Czechs To Delay EU/Lisbon Treaty Signing.

LONDONTIMES.UK/
"EU leaders are said to be furious that the Czech Republic is planning to delay signing the Lisbon treaty for up to six months even if the Irish vote "yes" in their referendum next month.
The country might even try to delay it until after the British general election campaign when a Tory victory would see the question put to voters by David Cameron.
Nicolas Sarkozy, who helped to draw up the treaty after the French and Dutch voted against its predecessor, the EU Constitution, has warned Prague that it faces "consequences" if it does not swiftly follow an Irish "yes" with its own ratification."

Poles and Czechs Stall Signing EU's Lisbon Treaty.

From The Economist.

The presidents of Poland and the Czech Republic are reluctant to sign the European Union's Lisbon Treaty though their parliaments have ratified it.

Why?

The Economist describes both men as "prickly nit-pickers," and lists other reasons why the two have put-off the signings.