Czechs continue to oppose US radar base, demand referendum: poll

Jul 19, 2007, 15:27 GMT

Prague - Sixty-five per cent of Czechs oppose placing a radar base for the planned US missile shield on Czech soil, according to a June opinion poll by the Public Opinion Research Centre (CVVM) released on Thursday.

Thirty per cent of the 1,013 people polled agreed with hosting the US facility, while 7 per cent were undecided, the newest CVVM survey showed.

The number of opponents was up by 4 per cent in June from 61 per cent of those who rejected the base in a CVVM poll in May. In April, 68 per cent were against the base, according to CVVM.

Since the beginning of 2007, the size of the opposing and supporting camps has oscillated, whereas the number of the undecided has been on a steady decline, CVVM pollster Jan Cervenka said in a press release.

According to the poll, 74 per cent of Czechs wished to decide the radar's fate in a referendum, while 20 per cent opposed the idea. The remaining 6 per cent did not know.

In spite of the public's wishes, the future of the US installation on Czech soil would likely be decided by Czech legislators early next year.

As the Czech Republic does not have a law on a general referendum, the public does not have the means to induce such votes. However, Czech lawmakers can enable a one-time referendum on a specific issue by passing a bill that would permit it.

The senior ruling Civic Democratic Party, which supports the radar base and opposes a referendum on it, is ready to block any bills that would allow for a popular vote on the US facility.