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Treaty of Lisbon - oral hearing on Tuesday 27th Oct.

INFORMATION FOR THE MEDIA Public hearing on 27/10/2009 concerning the Lisbon Treaty II

(Hearing concerning the petition of a group of Senators for the assessment of the conformity of the Lisbon Treaty amending the Treaty on the European Union and the Treaty establishing the European Community with the Constitutional Order.)


Brno, Constitutional Court, 21 October 2009

 

Following the petition of a group of Senators, the proceedings regarding the proposal for the assessment of the conformity of the Lisbon Treaty amending the Treaty on the European Union and the Treaty establishing the European Community with the Constitutional Order were commenced under the file ref. Pl. US 29/09. The Plenum of the Constitutional Court agreed that this case was of utmost urgency, and its hearing would be given preference in the sense of Section 39 of Act on the Constitutional Court. At the moment the Constitutional Court already have at its disposal all statements of the parties to the proceedings: the petitioners, the Government, the President of the Czech Republic, and both Chambers of the Parliament of the Czech Republic.

 

A public hearing regarding this case has been convened for 27 October 2009 from 10 am to an Assembly Hall in the building of the Constitutional Court. The above hearing will be accessible to the public including the media representatives, but the number of people who can be personally present is restricted by the capacity of the Hall and by technical and safety requirements related to the sessions of the Plenary.

 

The Constitutional Court reserved 9 places directly in the Assembly Hall for the representatives of the media and other places in a temporary press centre, where they will be able to follow the Court hearing live on a large screen, to comment on the hearing or to make notes without disturbing the dignity of the Court hearing. Before the hearing begins photographers and television crews will be able to take pictures directly in the Assembly Hall, but only for the duration of one minute and not in the proximity of judges. Photographers and cameramen will have a place assigned on the Hall’s gallery; in the Hall only CT 24 stationary cameras will operate, which will serve for a live TV broadcasting.      

 

To ensure a dignified course of the hearing of the Constitutional Court’s Plenary, the participation of media representatives will be regulated by accreditations. Apart from the name and sending organization, the application for the accreditation must also include the information for whom the accreditation is to be issued: whether for a writing journalist (and whether he/she intends to stay in the Hall or in the press centre), photographer or cameraman, and/or for accompanying persons (technicians, sound engineers, etc.). The application has to include also the number of identity card and the address of the applicant. The accreditation will authorize its holders to pass through the access procedures preferentially, and to freely access the press centre. The representatives of the media who intend to occupy one of the nine places allocated in the Assembly Hall must take into consideration that they will have to remain at this place until the hearing is over (and it will therefore not be possible, for example, to move to the gallery to take pictures). During the security check the accredited journalists will receive a special card from the Security Service of the Police of the Czech Republic, which they will have to carry in a visible manner. The card will not enable anybody to enter rooms of the Constitutional Court other than those in which the hearing takes place. An employee of or a contributor to an editorial office will be obliged to prove his/her membership in the editorial office either by a valid Newspaper Syndicate card and by the editorial office authorization or card, or by the editorial office authorization or card only. It is impossible to use a business card instead of the above documents. For security reasons it is necessary to arrive at least 45 minutes before the commencement of the hearing and to follow a suitable dress code. During the security check on the entrance, you will be asked to present a valid official identity card to the Security Service of the Police of the Czech Republic.

 

You may apply for the accreditation in writing from Wednesday 21 October 2009 by sending an e-mail message to Mrs Regina Kirkingová (regina.kirkingova@usoud.cz), telephone no. 542 214 360; a written confirmation of the accreditation will be sent out to everybody on 26 October 2009. The Plenary session is organized by Mr Vlastimil Göttinger; his instructions will be binding for all those present from the media and the public. Should you have any questions with regard to the organization of the session and/or any technical issues, please contact Mr Göttinger (vlastimil.gottinger@usoud.cz), tel. no. 542 16 1195.

 

For any information on the preparation, content or actual hearing of the Plenary, please contact the Constitutional Court’s Secretary General, Tomáš Langášek, telephone no. 542 16 1031.

 

In this respect the Constitutional Court would like to note that you may follow the whole session live on the channel CT 24, and also on the large TV screen in the foyer of the Assembly Hall, in the press centre, and also in the entrance hall of the Constitutional Court.

In connection with the organization of the session and interest in its undisturbed course the Constitutional Court would like to emphasize that the Court’s Security and Visitors’ Rules apply to each and every person entering the building of the Constitutional Court including the representatives of the media. The Rules are also displayed in the entrance hall of the Constitutional Court.