EC believes Czechs to ensure further functioning of EU presidency

The coalition government of Prime Minister Mirek Topolanek (senior ruling Civic Democrats, ODS) that has so far ensured the six-month Czech EU presidency, ends after the Chamber of Deputies voted a no confidence in it today.

The motion initiated by the opposition was supported by four deputies elected on the lists of candidates of government parties. Thanks to their votes the opposition gained the necessary 101 votes out of the 197.

The Commission firmly believes that the national constitutional laws will allow the Czech Republic to continue its presidency in the same efficient manner as so far, the Commission says in the statement.

It will be up to the democratic process in the Czech Republic to resolve its internal political topics in a constitutional manner. The Commission is confident that it will be done in the way that will ensure the full functioning of the presidency of the EU Council, the statement says.

Piotr Kaczynski, analyst from the Brussels Centre for European Policy Studies (CEPS), told CTK today that the passage of no confidence in the government of Topolanek today was a heavy blow for the Czech EU presidency.

The presidency will continue to function but it will be considerably weakened politically, Kaczynski said.

Standard office work will naturally continue and the no confidence will not have direct impact on it. The presidency will still be capable of work, he said.

However, apart from this, today's decision will have a strong if not devastating impact on the political representation of the Czech Republic in talks with other European and world politicians and leaders, Kaczynski said.

Each government whose position weakened in such a way at home has a limited influence in the EU, he said. Other statesmen are less willing to listen to such politicians and negotiate with them.

As regards the presidency it will have a dramatic impact on the leadership of such presidency, Kaczynski said.

He pointed out that the long awaited meeting of the leaders of the richest world economies G20 would take place in London next week.

The position of Czech PM Topolanek who was to represent the EU there would be undermined, Kachynski said.

Author: ČTK
www.ctk.cz