PM: Government's limited mandate not to influence foreign policy

Prime Minister and Civic Democrat chairman Mirek Topolanek has said that Czech foreign policy will not be influenced by the fact that the government seeks only a limited mandate due to the complex situation on the domestic political scene. Addressing Czech ambassadors who are meeting in Prague, the new Prime Minister said that the country's first priority was its presidency of the European Union in spring 2009. He said he hoped that Romania and Bulgaria will join the EU in January as planned, adding that the Czech government will pay special attention to the accession talks with Turkey and Croatia. Mr Topolanek also mentioned the possible stationing of a US anti-missile defence site in the Czech Republic. The issue became a point of controversy on the Czech political scene, as the leftist Social Democrats of former PM Jiri Paroubek oppose it, while the Civic Democrats have recently expressed support for the base.