By the way, Lisbon still isn’t ratified

As BNIFFO-gate rumbles on, it’s easy to forget that the European Union is essentially in crisis today.  People are racking their brains to remember the last time that a government collapsed while holding the EU Council Presidency, but the Czech government has certainly picked a most inconvenient time to do so: half way through its stint, and with a crucial set of decisions on global economic policy and Lisbon still coming up.  

Things are particularly awkward for the latter, because the treaty still isn’t ratified in the Czech Republic, and Declan Ganley’s favourite politician Vaclav Klaus is now kingmaker in that country.  Micheal Martin seems to be quicker than his EU colleagues to see the iceberg that’s coming, as reported in this interview which appears to be only with Bloomberg (it must have been set up as a booster for the economy).  Note also Martin’s falling back on psycho-babble to describe the economy — “we’re still in a difficult space” — but he’s asking the right question: who is the counterpart for Ireland’s remaining negotiations on the Lisbon treaty?