So, Prague’s become an honorary capital of Europe for the period the EU presidency! The Prime Minister is already boasting of his success in negotiating gas supply for Europe over the weekend (so we continue to be warm, and hope you are warm too. Better not think of what it’ll cost though!). One just wonders how this EU presidency will continue. The other day, the Financial Times’s Tony Barber had an interesting observation regarding another key person in Czech life – not the Prime Minister, but the famous President of the country, who upon having to welcome the European Commission into Prague clearly showed his disdain towards the whole thing, and did his best to insult…
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The Czech Presidency of the European Union
As the clock struck midnight on 31 December the Presidency of the European Union rotated from the French Government to the Czech Government. Now, for six months, Prague holds the limelight in EU affairs. There could not be a bigger contrast in attitudes to Europe than between the head of State in France, Nicolas Sarkozy and the very Euro-sceptic Czech President, Vaclav Klaus. Klaus has already made clear the EU flag will not fly over Prague Hrad and the Czech Prime Minister and his colleagues will no doubt do all they can to keep President Klaus out of the European agenda and limelight in an effort not to be embarrassed.…