Czech students discuss where next for EU

Europe's leaders decided to put the ratification of the constitution on hold at their summit in Brussels - they said there should be a period of real reflection on the future of Europe. So what do people in the new member countries think of the collapse of the Constitution and the rift over how the EU is funded? Rob Cameron spoke to two students with very different views on Europe - Jakub Stedron, a pro-Constitution student and member of the Young Social Democrats, and Tomas Jirsa, an anti-Constitution student and member of the Young Conservatives:

"The people who supported the Constitution said this is the beginning of a new Europe, where national interests will be forgotten and we'll all be united in one European Union and that is not true. We have 25 different nations, different economically, different historically, different culturally, and just wanting them to put them in one room is not what should happen and the perfect evidence is that the French and the Dutch said No for completely different reasons. The Dutch criticised transferring powers to Brussels, low economic performance of the European, whereas the French were afraid of losing their big welfare state and all their social securities."

Some people are saying it's now time to stop and reflect and give the people of Europe a few more years to decide what to do with this Constitution and what to do with European integration. Jakub, do you think a period of reflection and contemplation is a good thing now?

"Yes, I think so. The problem is that we don't really consider ourselves to be Europeans. Everybody is either French, or Polish, or Czech. When Americans were fighting, let's say for democracy in Vietnam, they were ready to fight for America and die for America. But I'm always asking myself - am I ready to die for Europe? But I still hope that one day we can have something like European citizenship, and that we can be united and be like one family."

Tomas, you were laughing there at the idea of laying down your life for Europe.

"Yes, that is something completely strange to me. I'm Czech, I was born here and I like the project of European integration as far as it concerns economic matters, free trade, free movement of persons and capital, and I think that would be perfectly great for everybody, for all the citizens of the European Union. I'm afraid of importing the French welfare system and common standards, I just want a free Europe, and I don't want to lay down my life for that."

Jakub, do you think the French and Dutch Nos, and now this new argument over money between Britain and France, is turning the Czech people off the European Union?

"I think there are other and maybe even deeper problems because last year we were all welcomed into the united EU, but still there are many countries where we are not allowed to work."

Tomas, are the Czech people sick of Europe?

"Well I think people realise that a year ago we entered the European Union and we had huge celebrations, but today you see that every year we will transfer much more money into the European budget than we actually get back. I think people realise that not everything is happening as it was promised, and they saw the European Constitution as a sort of continuation of the democratic process after 1989. But now I think they say that it's really a step back."