Czech, Polish presidents aren’t fan of old EU constitution

The presidents of the Czech Republic and Poland said Friday that the European Union should start working on a new constitution instead of trying to save the current draft. "None of us is a fan of this document," Czech President Vaclav Klaus told a news conference after meeting his Polish counterpart Lech Kaczynski in Prague.

Photo: Czech, Polish presidents aren’t fan of old EU constitution

He said that a new document should be worked out "which would better and more thoughtfully define the future of the European continent." "It is necessary to start working on a new draft, and the sooner it is ready the better," Kaczynski said.

The draft constitution has to be approved by all member states in order to take effect. Several EU countries have postponed votes on the charter since the French and Dutch rejected it last year. Poland and the Czech Republic have not yet voted on the document.

Kaczynski, who is on a two-day visit to the Czech Republic , said that his and Klaus' opinions on many issues related to the European Union are similar. "We both are looking in the EU for a reasonable arrangement," said Klaus. "We don't think there should be a total unification, and we fear possible loss of our sovereignty."

Both countries joined the European Union in May 2004. Kaczynski was also scheduled to meet with Czech Prime Minister Jiri Paroubek later Friday, reports the AP.

N.U.