A meeting took place on Friday (5 December) in Prague Castle between Czech President Vaclav Klaus and a delegation of MEPs in advance of the Czech Republic taking over the presidency of the EU in January. Two of the MEP’s were verbally abusive to President Klaus for his opposition to the Lisbon treaty and his friendship with Irish No campaigner Declan Ganley. See also EU Observer.com
Green MEP Daniel Cohn-Bendit formerly known as “Danny the Red", told President Klaus" I don't care about your opinions on [the Lisbon treaty]. I want to know what you will do if both the Czech Chamber of Deputies and the Senate approve it. Will you respect the will of the people's representatives? You will have to sign it."
Cohn-Bendit also called on the Czech president to explain the level of his relations with Declan Ganley, the founder of the Ireland's Libertas group, which was formed to fight the Lisbon treaty. "A man in your position is not supposed to meet him," he said, citing "unclear" and "problematic" funding of Mr Ganley's political activities.
President Klaus responded by saying that nobody had talked to him in such a way in the six years since he was elected president, calling the conversation "unprecedented." "You are not on the Paris barricades here," he told Bendit referring to the Green leader's past as protester in Paris in 1968. "I thought that these practices had ended for us 19 years ago. I see I was wrong. I would not dare to ask how the Greens' activities are funded," Mr Klaus said.
Irish MEP Brian Crowley (UEN and Fianna Fail) told Mr Klaus he was offending Ireland. "By meeting [Mr] Ganley, you insulted the Irish people. That man has failed to [disclose] the funding of his campaign. It is an insult to meet someone without a mandate. I just want to inform you how the Irish feel," Mr Crowley said.
Mr Klaus responded to the attacks by thanking the MEP's for the experience which he gained from the meeting. In a clear reference to the the experience of the Czech Republic under Communist rule, he said "I did not think anything like this is possible and have not experienced anything like this for the past 19 years. I thought it was a matter of the past, that we live in democracy, but it is post-democracy, really, which rules the EU. You mentioned the European values. The most important value is freedom and democracy. The citizens of the EU member states are concerned about freedom and democracy, above all. But democracy and freedom are losing ground in the EU today. It is necessary to strive for them and fight for them.
Referring to Brian Crowley’s attack on him President Klaus said the biggest insult to the Irish is the refusal to accept their vote in the referendum. "I met someone representing a majority view in Ireland, while you, Mr Crowley, represent a minority opinion. That is the tangible result of the referendum," he said, which resulted in a further tirade from Brian Crowley who told him. "You will not tell me what the Irish think. As an Irishman, I know it best".
