Klaus's rant "short on argument, long on cliches" - 2009-02-19

Labour's Deputy Leader in Europe, Richard Corbett MEP, today criticised the speech in the European Parliament by Czech President Vaclav Klaus, describing it as "short on argument, but long on clichés".

Mr Klaus was speaking as part of the six-month Czech Presidency of the EU.

Richard Corbett MEP, who is also Labour's spokesman on EU Reform in the Parliament, said:

"Klaus today spouted a set of standard eurosceptic clichés and his diatribe was disappointing and frankly embarrassing."

Responding to Klaus's bizarre claim that the EU deals with matters that should be left to the national governments and comparisons between the Parliament and Communist parliaments from Cold War era eastern Europe, Richard Corbett added:

"He seemed blissfully unaware that no EU policy or legislation is adopted without the agreement of those same national governments in the EU Council of Ministers."

By making ludicrous comparisons to communist parliaments of Cold War eastern europe, which had no opposition to the government, he brought laughter from a European Parliament most of whose members are from opposition parties in each Member State."

Drawing attention to yesterday's vote in the Czech chamber of deputies, when it approved the Lisbon treaty by 125 votes to 61 despite his efforts to oppose it, Richard said:

"The massive vote to approve the Lisbon Treaty in the Czech Parliament yesterday despite Mr Klaus's efforts to derail it shows that his stock is obviously falling."

Concluding, Richard said:

"Klaus may be attempting to style himself as the next icon around which eurosceptics can rally, but cliché-ridden rants won't win him any arguments."

For more information please call the European Parliamentary Labour Party press officer, Silke Thomson on +32 479 790 053.

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