Czech Senate postpones vote on EU treaty, asks court to rule if it is in line with Czech law

PRAGUE, Czech Republic: The upper chamber of the Czech Parliament voted Thursday to delay a vote on a new treaty designed to streamline the way the European Union operates.

Of the 70 lawmakers present in the 81-seat Senate, 48 voted to request that the country's Constitutional Court decide whether the charter known as the Lisbon Treaty is in line with Czech law. Four Senators were against; 18 abstained.

The move was pushed by the Civic Democratic Party of Prime Minister Mirek Topolanek, which controls the chamber.

Some of the party's Euro-skeptic legislators argued the charter limits the country's sovereignty.

The Senators will not vote on the charter until the court issues its verdict. It is not clear when that could happen.

The treaty is a stripped-down version of the European Constitution that collapsed when France and the Netherlands rejected it in 2005. It needs to be ratified by all 27 member states to come into force. The aim is to complete ratification by 2009.

Hungary was the first nation to ratify the Lisbon Treaty, which was agreed by the leaders of EU nations in December. Denmark and the lower house of German parliament ratified it Thursday.

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