Following Czechia’s stint at the helm of the rotating European Council Presidency, Minister for European Affairs Mikuláš Bek called it a success and proof the country is not just a mere satellite of Hungary.
“For many of our European partners, the presidency is a surprising success. Expectations were not very high. The Czech Republic had a reputation as a Hungarian satellite on the periphery of Europe,” Bek said during the press conference.
The previous leader Andrej Babiš (ANO, RENEW), who ruled the country till December 2021, was well known for good ties with his Hungarian counterpart Viktor Orbán. However, those times are over, Bek added.
Moreover, the Czech Republic and Hungary were close allies within the Visegrad group, regional cooperation formed by Czechia, Hungary, Poland and Slovakia. The Czech Republic has often sided with Hungary at the European Council’s summit, where duo Babiš-Orbán several times blocked the adoption of conclusions, for example, in climate, energy or migration policy.
He continued that it is now time to “capitalise on all these achievements and experiences for the benefit of the Czech Republic.” For example, the country would like to improve the representation of Czechs in EU top jobs. Moreover, better communication of EU topics to the Czech public is needed.
For his part, Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala (ODS, ECR) said his country had gained valuable contacts, built a strong position in the EU, improved its reputation, and is now considered a reliable partner and a significant player in the EU.
The Czech Republic chaired the Council of the EU in the second half of 2022. During its presidency, EU member states reached several deals, including those on €18 billion aid for Ukraine, a gas price cap, corporate taxation, and freezing EU funds for Hungary.
Achievements of the Czech Republic were also acknowledged by top EU officials. European Commission Vice-President Frans Timmermans said the Czech EU Presidency “has been one of the most successful presidencies in the last few decades.”
“We have gained respect, which we must use in future negotiations in the post-presidency period,” Fiala said.
(Aneta Zachová | EURACTIV.cz)
Source: euractiv.com
