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Top Czech court adjourns Lisbon Treaty hearing (1st Lead)
Oct 27, 2009, 14:30 GMT
Prague - The Czech Republic's Constitutional Court on Tuesday adjourned until November 3 a hearing on whether the European Union's reform Lisbon Treaty is in line with Czech law, court chairman Pavel Rychetsky said.
As a result, the court will not rule on the Lisbon Treaty challenge before EU leaders hold their quarterly summit in Brussels on Thursday and Friday.
The closely watched case is among the final hurdles on the path to the EU's grand reform outlined by the treaty. The institutional overhaul aims to boost the 27-member bloc's global clout through streamlining its decision making.
Czech President Vaclav Klaus, a treaty opponent whose signature is the last one needed before it becomes valid, is not allowed to ratify the accord before the court issues its verdict.
The challenge to the treaty was lodged on September 29 by 17 Czech senators, Klaus followers and Lisbon critics, who attacked the pact as a threat to national sovereignty that sets the EU on a path to a federation.
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