Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala presented the main priorities of the Czech EU Presidency to the European Parliament after criticism for not reflecting the EU’s social agenda prompted the government to promise MEPs that it would organise a social summit in Prague.
Fiala also assured MEPs that, although the social policy does not have its own chapter in the priorities, it is intertwined with all topics.
“The social dimension is reflected in a number of priorities,” Fiala said, adding that these are in particular priorities dedicated to energy security.
According to Fiala, Europe’s main task should be finding a strong consensus on how to mitigate the impact of the crisis on Europeans.
“Because inflation, energy insecurity or the food crisis are threats that we can best face together,” Fiala said. “I believe that both the Council and the European Parliament will be in agreement on this.”
“We must avoid dividing ourselves and always try to find the broadest possible consensus. We also need to be more respectful of the views and positions of others, even if we may not agree with them,” he added.
“Social impacts in the context of the covid crisis and the war are not addressed. Given that the government cannot address this in its own country, I am a bit worried whether it will be able to propose effective measures that would work at the European level,” Czech Renew MEP Ondřej Knotek told EURACTIV.cz.
The government assured European lawmakers it would address social issues adequately.
“We will have a Social summit ahead of October’s European Council,” European Affairs Minister Mikuláš Bek said on Wednesday (6 July).
Source: euractiv.com
