Czech PM slams idea of EU package for eastern half of Europe

The Czech prime minister, Mirek Topolánek, has spoken out strongly against the idea of an EU financial rescue package for the central and eastern Europe region. Speaking to the newspaper E15 ahead of an EU summit he is currently chairing in Brussels as part of the Czech presidency, Mr Topolánek said it would be wrong to divide Europe into two blocs. Reacting to a Financial Times report that EU leaders wanted to increase aid to central and eastern Europe, the Czech leader said such suggestions added to previous negative portrayals of the eastern part of the EU in the media; he also reiterated Prague’s irritation with the fact European politicians and media outlets had bracketed the Czech Republic with states particularly hard hit by the financial crisis.

Author: Ian Willoughby