Former Czech president Vaclav Havel said Sunday that he believed a referendum on the European constitutional treaty should not be held in the country.

Speaking on a television discussion programme broadcast by the public Czech Television channel, he said that the constitution was a complex text which did not change the European Union much.

Czechs said their fundamental "yes" in the referendum on EU membership in June 2003 and a referendum on the constitution would be redundant, Havel said.

It was not clear what exactly people would be voting on if a referendum was held, he added.

"What will people vote on? On particular articles, chapters, on all those references, or some powers? There is nothing to vote on, they (the powers) are more or else the same as they were," Havel said.

Although Czech political leaders have not yet decided on staging a referendum to approve the constitutional treaty it is expected that one will be held.

Speaking on another discussion programme Saturday Czech Prime Minister Stanislav Gross said he favoured staging a referendum at the same time as the general election, due to take place in June 2006. But he added that the public had to be well-informed about the content of the constitution first.

The main opposition party, the Civic Democrats, favour staging a referendum earlier.

Havel said that small states have a major influence on the EU's decision-making process but if they rejected the constitution, they would strip themselves of such opportunities.