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Current AffairsNew pro-European party gears up for EP elections
Smaller parties in the Czech Republic are already gearing up for this
year’s elections to the European Parliament, anxious to reach voters
even
though the elections only take place in June. Recent headlines have
focussed on largely eurosceptical parties questioning further European
integration (especially the Lisbon treaty), but other parties are
focussing
on the exact opposite – closer cooperation within the EU. One such
party,
the European Democratic Party founded by MEP Jana Hybášková last
November, outlined its goals on Wednesday. More
Current AffairsKlaus ally launches new party to fight Lisbon Treaty
A new right-wing political party was unveiled on Monday by a close ally of
Czech president Vaclav Klaus. Petr Mach, who heads Mr Klaus's think-tank
the Centre for Economics and Politics, told journalists the Free Citizens
Party would fight ratification of the EU's Lisbon Treaty, push for a
referendum on the euro and may cooperate with Declan Ganley's Libertas
group ahead of this year's elections to the European Parliament. Supporters
of the new party include both of Mr Klaus's sons, three MPs, and a senator.
And also Benjamin Kuras, a journalist and writer who once worked for Radio
Prague.
More
Current AffairsVondra: EU needs better contingency planning for next energy crisis
Europe's gas crisis has dominated the first week of the Czech EU Presidency
–Czech Prime Minister Mirek Topolanek travelled to Ukraine on Friday to
help negotiate an end to Ukraine’s dispute with Russia. The security of
Europe's energy supplies is one of the Czech presidency's three priorities,
and gas dominated talks by EU foreign ministers in Prague. In fact the
Czech Republic’s deputy prime minister says Europe must be better
prepared to deal with a similar crisis in the future.
More
Current AffairsCzechs take their turn in the EU hot seat
On 1 January 2009, almost 20 years after the fall of the Iron Curtain, the
Czech Republic becomes the first former Soviet Bloc country to take over
the rotating six-month presidency of the Council of the European Union.
Besides the
historic symbolism of this event, the upcoming presidency will provide the
Czech government with a unique opportunity to influence the EU agenda in
the coming months. A successful stint at the helm of Europe could also
help
the country raise its profile and enhance its standing among its European
partners. This is all the more pertinent given the fact that the Czech
Republic’s reputation in Brussels has been tarnished of late, because of
the country’s protracted ratification of the Lisbon Treaty and
much-publicised comments by the Czech president Vaclav Klaus denouncing
this document, which is seen by many as a crucial step for further EU
enlargement. Conversely, if the Czech presidency is not smoothly managed
by
the country’s politicians, there is a very real risk that the
country’s
credibility within the EU could be damaged even further. More
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