Since 2002, the court has been dealing with the most serious international crimes such as crimes against humanity, war crimes, and the crime of aggression. To be approved, the agreement should be supported by the constitutional majority in both houses of the Czech parliament which is three-fifths of deputies in the 200-member Chamber of Deputies and three-fifths of the 81-member Senate. However, many Czech lawmakers, especially from the senior ruling Civic Democratic Party (ODS) and the junior Danes suspected of robbery to be taken to homeland from CzechRep ...
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Czech Christian Democrat leader ready to re-enter cabinet - press ... opposition Communist Party (KSCM), have raised objections to the Rome Statute. The Chamber of Deputies has proceeded to the approval nine years after its signing, which was called "strange procrastination" by Foreign Minister Karel Schwarzenberg (for the Greens). "Our current unclear attitude lowers the Czech Republic's credibility as a nation championing human rights protection in the world," Schwarzenberg said. The Czech Republic is the last EU country not to have ratified the agreement, which should be changed also on account of the Czech Republic's forthcoming EU presidency, Schwarzenberg said. As a result, the approval of the agreement is a priority of the whole country, not only of a single party, he added. He indirectly dismissed the media speculations that in exchange for the approval of the agreement, the ODS wants to make the Greens' deputies agree with the stationing of the U.S.
radar base in the Czech Republic. "In my view, linking the issue with other latest foreign political questions is absurd and irresponsible," said Schwarzenberg, adding that "the government has not found any substantiated argument for the rejection of the ratification." Schwarzenberg said even after the Czech Republic joined the agreement, Czech citizens would still be protected by the state. "Their release to the ICC could only happen if the Czech Republic were unable to ensure their prosecution with its own forces," he added. However, there is no such threat, the law's drafters said. Minister for Legislation Cyril Svoboda (the Christian Democrats, KDU-CSL) said there was no threat of Czech soldiers operating abroad being tried under the agreement. Marek Benda (ODS) said he doubted the tribunal made sense as an instrument of international peace and security. Benda said the court did not much help resolve existing conflicts in the world. Benda stressed that its status had not been ratified by the USA, Russia and China, permanent members of the United Nations Security Council. This was also highlighted by Communist Stanislav Grospic. He made a futile attempt at postponing the approval of the agreement until all the three big countries passed it. Schwarzenberg said Grospic was making laughing stocks from the deputies and his unrealistic demands meant the rejection of the agreement. The final approval of the agreement, supported by the opposition Social Democrats, will take place after it makes it through the foreign, and constitutional and legal committees, in roughly three months.
(Ceske Noviny)
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