US Base Referendum Rejected

The Communist deputies have proposed a referendum about the proposed U.S. missile radar base which was shot down by the Czech government. A similar proposal had been rejected by both the cabinet and the parliament previously.

Because the Civic Democratic Party (ODS) has the majority, it is strong enough to block such proposals in both the Chamber of Deputies and the Senate, though they may be looking out more for their own interests than the interests of the Czech people - or so the Communist deputies argue. If the matter were to be brought to a referendum, the majority of Czech citizens would vote against installing the radar base, as the agreements so far have been made strictly between the Czech government and the USA, without regard for the voices of the people.

Besides the Communists, the other opposition parties, the KSCM and the Social Democrats (CSSD) are against the project, while the Greens and the Christian Democrats are split on the issue. In order to pass the bill on the referendum, a constitutional majority of 120 deputies is required, out of the 200-seat Chamber of Deputies.