(BRATISLAVA) - The Slovak parliament on Thursday indefinitely postponed a vote on ratifying the EU reform treaty amid wrangling between government and opposition lawmakers over a new press law.

Opposition lawmakers were not present in the chamber at the time of scheduled vote in protest at a proposed new media law, leaving the ruling parties short of the majority needed to approve the treaty.

Prime Minister Robert Fico's three party coalition can muster 85 votes in the 150-seat parliament but needs 90 votes to approve the treaty.

While two out of three centre-right opposition parties back the Lisbon Treaty, they have united to stall its progress in protest at a new law which they say represents an attack on the media and puts democracy at risk in the post-communist country.

Slovakia's stalled ratification has raised some fears in Brussels that it could delay the whole process.

European Comission President Jose Manuel Barroso telephoned former centre-right premier Mikulas Dzurinda, leader of the opposition Slovak Democratic and Christian Union (SDKU-DS), last week, media reported.

The EU treaty is the successor of the failed proposed European constitution which was rejected by French and Dutch voters in 2005. It is intended to come into force after it is ratified by all EU member countries.

Almost three years after the "no" left the EU deep in crisis, Hungary, Slovenia, Romania and Malta have already ratified the new treaty.

The decision to delay a fresh ratification vote in Slovakia until the media law is discussed in March allows the government to sidestep the embarassment of a failed vote on the treaty while the two sides try to thrash out a deal on the media law.

Opposition parties have suggested they could vote for the treaty in March if demands to re-shape the media law, especially for a far ranging right of reply, are met.

The Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) has said the media law would restrict press freedom.

"We will take into consideration the remarks of the representants of important international organisations," Fico told journalists on Monday regarding the draft press law.

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