Slovak opposition mars speedy EU treaty ratification
The Slovak parliamentary opposition delayed Wednesday the planned ratification of the European Union's Lisbon Treaty because of a dispute over the country's controversial draft press law, TA3 news channel reported. The centre-right opposition walked out from the chamber before the vote, as the centre-left ruling coalition would not agree to making changes to the draft press law. The 85 present coalition lawmakers were thus five votes short, as a majority of 90 in the 150-seat house is required to ratify the treaty, which was laboriously negotiated to streamline decision- making in the enlarged EU. The coalition lawmakers in the end decided to postpone the vote to Thursday evening. Prime Minister Robert Fico lambasted the opposition, saying that only "a sick political mind" would use the ratification to "blackmail" the government.
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