First Czech Commissioner hopes to offer something specifically Czech to the EU
On Monday Pavel Telicka had his first day in his new job. He's the Czech Republic's first ever European Commissioner, joining what is in effect the government of the European Union. And on Wednesday he was officially confirmed into office. On a mobile phone somewhere on the motorway between Brussels and Strasbourg, David Vaughan caught up with Mr Telicka on the eve of his officially taking up the post, and asked him whether he felt nervous.
"I don't feel at the moment any nervousness whatsoever. No."
It's going to be quite a change, going from representing the interests of the Czech Republic specifically to being responsible for 450 million people.
"Well, it is going to be quite a change for me, after fifteen years working for the Czech state, primarily on the EU entry. The Commission was the negotiating partner - on the other side - you were negotiating, raising issues, you were entering into all sorts of disputes, but always with the aim to find a common line and attain a compromise. So maybe that's the incentive that I'm taking with me. But this time I'm going to be working for the commission, for the other side, and of course the responsibilities will be in some respects wider, and definitely they will be EU-wide. So that is going to be quite a significant change. But I must say, I'm quite looking forward to it."
And is there something specifically Czech that you're going to bring into the Commission?
"Well, I only have one day of experience in the Commission and if I were asked about my first impressions, then I must say that it is a different administrative culture. There is a lot that I have to learn, but maybe there is something that my colleagues and I can bring into the Commission. I am sure that this will also come from the other acceding countries, so I would say that on the one hand we are integrating ourselves into the Commission's administrative culture, but I'm sure that the new commissioners will bring something from their own culture. I think that can be for the benefit."
