Debate begins on ‘new’ reformed EU

Almost a week since Great Britain took the momentous decision to leave the European Union the remaining 27 members – including the Czech Republic – have scrambled to look for positives and possible ways forward. The Czech prime minister has joined others in setting out some opening negotiating markers but is also under fire at home from those who want to widen the debate.

Bohuslav Sobotka, photo: CTK

Following talks in Brussels this week, Czech Prime Minister Bohuslav Sobotka reiterated the view that for the Czech Republic membership in the EU is the only viable option. But he also stressed that a different EU should emerge after Brexit that can respond to a growing disenchantment across the Continent with the group’s ability to address key issues, such as migration or counter criticism of the Brussels elite and its functioning.

At home, Prime Minister Sobotka is under fire from some opposition politicians who are saying Prague should exploit the Brexit opportunity to push for new exemptions from existing EU legislation on its own. Some want the obligation to adopt the euro dropped and the risk of being outvoted on immigration issues to be watered down. These are not options that the Czech prime minister has evoked so far.

Radko Hokovský, the head of the Prague-based think-tank European Values, says so far since the Brexit result, the Czech government has offered a measured response.

“The proper response is to emphasise, as the government has, that the European Union needs to change, that it needs to reform and that the new European Union should more flexible so to keep as members all of the current states. This will require using more flexibility, because we have to recognise that there are different interests and different moods in different countries. And all of these have to somehow be accommodated and I think that is the priority, which Czech politicians as reality as well.”

Radko Hokovský, photo: archive of Charles University

To properly gauge the implications of the Brexit with regards the Czech Republic’s own interests, the prime minister this week announced the formation of a working group to be headed by the State Secretary for European Affairs Tomáš Prouza. The team - as outlined – will represent the Czech Republic in Brexit negotiations, but equally important will be a broader contribution by politicians as well as experts across a number of fields to contribute to the debate. Radko Hokovský again:

“One thing is an expert group or team which will be looking at the legal, institutional consequences of the Brexit. A team probably involved in the negotiations and will lead negotiations with Great Britain on behalf of the Czech Republic. The other thing is more a political debate which we can assume will now take place in the member states ahead of the extraordinary summit in Bratislava where the new direction of the European Union should be discussed.”