Fears over Czech EU Presidency

The Czech Republic took over the six-month rotating presidency of the European Union today — an absurd system of regional political lesadership, which would have been reformed by the Lisbon Treaty. Alas, we are unlikely to see any progress on that front from Prague, as the Czech Republic is one of three EU member states yet to ratify the Treaty. The centre-right government of Mirek Topolanek has been dragging its heels on the matter and the country’s president, Vaclav Klaus, is an avowed Euro-sceptic.

The Czechs take over at a critical time in foreign affairs, given the ongoing Israeli onslaught on Gaza. Foreign Minister Karel Schwarzenberg is expected to fly to the region on Sunday, but it is doubtful if he will be as even-handed as the outgoing French presidency was. Schwarzenberg echoes the Bush administration’s line on the Middle East, and endorsed the Gaza strikes, putting all the blame for the current situatio  on Hamas. This makes it important for other EU member states to lobby Prague for a more objective and constructive position.