The Czech parliament is unlikely to ratify a deal permitting a U.S. missile radar station on Czech territory, a senior lawmaker opposing the agreement said today (see GSN, No. 24).
Czech Chamber of Deputies speaker Miloslav Vlcek said that his Social Democratic Party and the country's Communist Party together hold 96 of the parliament's 200 seats, a 15-seat lead over the Civic Democratic Party led by Czech Prime Minister Mirek Topolanek, a proponent of the radar deal. The United States wants to deploy the radar base to help guide 10 missile interceptors it would place in Poland.
Vlcek also expected some Civic Democratic Party lawmakers to vote against the agreement, RIA Novosti reported.
"I am certain that the radar will not be deployed," he said. "Ratification requires at least 101 votes."
The parliament last week said it would suspend debate on the agreement until U.S. President-elect Barack Obama takes office in January (see GSN, Nov. 19). Some observers believe Obama could be less committed to the missile shield's deployment than President George W. Bush (RIA Novosti, Nov. 25).