Current Affairs Friction over Czech policy in EU

Vaclav Klaus and Vladimir Spidla, photo: CTK At the centre of dispute is a government blueprint: a draft outlining the country's policy and priorities within the EU up until the year 2013. Although the document had not yet received an official stamp of approval from the government the outlined framework was enough to raise the ire of President Klaus and the opposition parties in Parliament. Mr. Klaus, who prides himself on being a Euro-realist, brought the contents of the document out into the open and gave the Prime Minister a very public dressing down for outlining far reaching foreign policy goals without a broad public debate. He said the document was tailored to meet the requirements of the EU administration in Brussels and criticized the fact that neither the Czech head of state, the Parliamentary opposition parties nor the public had had any say in it. Jan Zahradil of the opposition Civic Democrats had this to say:

"I think that such an important document on the Czech Republic's strategy in the EU cannot be drafted only on the basis of a narrow minded outlook of one political party. This has unfortunately happened. The government acted very irresponsibly in preparing a paper that is based only on its own outlook, completely excluding any interference or influence by the opposition. This of course is unacceptable and such a paper cannot be called a Czech strategy. We are not ready to accept that and we are not ready to behave in accordance with that paper. If we were in power and we were responsible for the government we would not follow the mainly pro-federalist line of this paper."

Well, now that the matter has been brought out into the open have you -as the leading opposition party - been invited to any talks?

Jan Zahradil "Not at all. This paper has not yet been discussed anywhere. The first discussions in the relevant committees in Parliament are scheduled for next week. This of course creates a situation where there's a lack of time for any proper discussion. The government has said it would like to conclude these talks by the end of April. I cannot imagine how these talks could be seriously concluded by the end of April if the debate in Parliament starts early next week - which is mid-April. In any case if the government wants to push through this government manifesto, this government paper it must do so on its own responsibility. We cannot take any responsibility for it and we can only state that we have nothing in common with that paper and that we will not respect that paper. "

The most controversial part of this blueprint is the government's proclaimed intent to support further integration within the EU once the country is a full member and the stated view that the accession agreements reached are considered a good basis for the country's future role in the union.

As on previous occasions, the Prime Minister weathered the storm stone faced and commentators agree that at the end of the day it is up to the present government to outline the country's policy and priorities. However now that the battle over the blueprint is out in the open the governing coalition must tread carefully. The argument of defending Czech interests is powerful and this public clash of wills may have a decisive influence on the outcome of elections to the European Parliament in June.