France takes over the EU presidency amid growing opposition to the Reform Treaty (01.07.2008) je 18

Polish President Lech Kaczynski has compounded the crisis within the European Union by saying he will not sign its reform treaty -- at least for now. On the first day of France's presidency of the bloc on Tuesday, Kaczynski said it would be "pointless" signing the treaty following its rejection by Irish voters. German President Horst Köhler has also suspended ratification (after a request from the country's constitutional court). In a televised speech on Monday evening, French President Nicolas Sarkozy said the EU should prove it can protect Europeans worried about high inflation and energy prices.