MEP Zahradil says Czech 'submissive' days in EU are over

The Czech negotiator for a future EU treaty, MEP Jan Zahradil, says the Czech Republic has discarded its past "submissive" posture within the EU to make its voice heard. In an interview for Saturday's Mlada fronta Dnes, Mr Zahradil said the Czech Republic had "changed from the submissive and servile yes-man stance" under previous left-wing government into "a self-confident country which clearly and reasonably formulates its own views on the union's future". The Czech Republic opposes any wide-ranging revamp of the EU's institutional framework while Germany, the current president of the 27-member EU, wants agreement on an ambitious new treaty at an EU summit next month. Mr Zahradil, a Civic Democratic Party member, also says he does not expect a new European constitution, after an earlier draft was rejected in French and Dutch referenda in 2004.