Former PM Topolánek says EU presidency wasted opportunity in spite of successes

Civic Democrat leader and former prime minister Mirek Topolánek described the Czech EU presidency as a wasted opportunity on Thursday. He blamed the fall of the coalition government at the end of March. In spite of that, Mr Topolánek highlighted three successes: the April EU-US summit, opening up a debate about energy security in the EU, and avoiding protectionism as the economic crisis hit the continent. He added that the caretaker government of Prime Minister Jan Fischer had helped saved some Czech face following the government’s fall.