The Czech Republic will assume the six-month presidency of the European Union (EU) on Friday, succeeding France. to carry out the road map of the 27 member states of the bloc in the midst of upheaval over the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
(Read: EU calls for “firm political commitment” and more investment to save the oceans)
This Thursday, French President Emmanuel Macron symbolically handed over the presidency to Czech Prime Minister Petr Fialawishing him “a lot of encouragement”, on the sidelines of the NATO summit in Madrid.
(Interested; EU agrees to end the sale of new combustion cars by 2035)
During the brief ceremony organized at the end of the Atlantic Alliance summit, the French Minister for Foreign Affairs, Catherine Colonna handed over a baton in the EU colors to her Czech counterpart, Jan Lipavskyconsidering that Europe emerged from the French presidency “stronger, more sovereign and, I think, more united”.
Analysts predict an intense presidency for the Czech Republic, which will hand over the post to Sweden after six months. “This presidency is not planned for good weather, but for bad weather,” Pavel Havlicek of the Prague-based Association for International Affairs told AFP.
The Czech Republic, a country of 10.5 million people that joined the European bloc in 2004, has promised to focus on helping Ukraine and the aftermath of the war. During his presidency, the country wants to help contain the refugee crisis and kick-start Ukraine’s reconstruction.
We are a credible partner and the government has all the doors open.
It also aims to strengthen energy security, defense capabilities and European democratic institutions. “All the priorities are very well chosen and if we manage to put at least some on the table, start talks with our partners and make at least a few decisions, I would say that we will not have wasted time,” Havlicek said.
The Czech Republic welcomed nearly 400,000 Ukrainian refugees and sent significant financial and military aid to Ukraine, invaded by Russian troops on February 24. Prague is also a strong supporter within the EU of sanctions against Russia.
Summits on Ukraine
Right-wing Prime Minister Petr Fiala, a former political analyst who wrote a 992-page book on the EU, recently declared that he would try to organize a summit with the Ukrainian president, Volodomir Zelensky.
Western Balkan countries — whose EU bid promoted by Prague and other Eastern European countries is deadlocked — are also expected to attend the event.
The conflict will hardly end before the end of the Czech presidency.
The summit would propose a program similar to the Marshall plan for Ukraine, referring to the US initiative to provide funds to Western European countries after World War II.
But it could only be carried out if the war ends. An unrealistic condition, says the director and political analyst at New York University in Prague, Jiri Pehe.
“I think that the Czechs will only try to organize a summit on Ukraine and (…) convince the others to continue helping the country”
Skepticism
According to Pehe, the Czechs are not in the best place to lead a debate on economic recovery or energy security. Facing high inflation, the country has yet to join the eurozone and relies on nuclear power, rejected by some EU members including Germany.
“He can hardly offer leadership in this regard and I think he will rather play a mediating role in summits or debates on these issues,” Pehe said. Czech citizens tend to be eurosceptic.
A survey carried out in March by the STEM agency revealed that only 36% of them are satisfied with the EU.
Fiala’s government is less Eurosceptic than its predecessors, but analysts question its ability to distance itself from Hungary and Poland, with whom it has close ties in the Visegrad group, which also includes Slovakia.
Both Hungary and Poland are in the crosshairs of Brussels for their positions on the rule of law.
AFP
More world news
– War in Ukraine: Russia withdraws from strategic island in the Black Sea
– USA: Apple and Google are asked to withdraw TikTok due to security risks
– Strong shooting occurred at a children’s vaccination center in Mexico
#president #challenges #face