Klaus rules out running for MEP seat

Former Czech president Václav Klaus has ruled out a candidacy to the European Parliament, telling Czech Radio's flagship Radiožurnál on Sunday that recent speculation in both the domestic and international media had been unfounded. The former head-of-state, a well-known euro skeptic, last week published a manifesto in which he charged that EU leaders were striving for a superstate that - in his view - would threaten histories of individual countries and as well as democracy. Mr Klaus recently came close to launching a political comeback on the Czech political scene but turned down the opportunity at the last minute on the grounds there wasn't enough time to build a new party ahead of early elections.

Author: Jan Velinger