President Klaus outlines his vision of Europe

President Klaus has outlined his own vision of a future Europe. In Saturday's edition of the daily Lidove Noviny, Mr. Klaus says that following the rejection of the European Constitution by French and Dutch voters it is time to abandon the federalist concept and plan Europe's future along different lines. The President would like the European Union to be transformed into an Organization of European States, which would benefit by free trade and movement of capital and labour but not be restricted in their sovereignty. The organizations members would be individual states, not citizens, and these states could act together in their common interests, but there should be no unnecessary "unification" or "centralization" and no compulsory, common ideology, Mr. Klaus says.