Czech PM to meet with Chancellor Merkel over EU treaty next week

Prime Minister Petr Nečas is to meet with German Chancellor Angela Merkel in Berlin next Thursday to discuss the Czech stand to the EU’s fiscal treaty. Mr. Nečas who joined British Prime Minister David Cameron in refusing to sign up to the compact, will also be meeting for consultations with his British counterpart ahead the fiscal union treaty summit on March 1st. Despite criticism from coalition partner TOP 09 and the opposition Social Democrats the Czech prime minister insists that the Czech Republic has nothing to lose since it can join the treaty anytime in the future and argues that in any case such a move should be preceded by a referendum since the treaty transfers certain national powers to the European level.