PM on EU accession

At a press conference in Prague on Friday Prime Minister Vladimir Spidla hailed the Czech Republic's entry to the EU as a historic moment, telling Czechs the country would profit from EU membership. We will not lose our sovereignty, it will be enhanced and we will share it with the remaining 24 states, the Prime Minister said, pointing out that as an EU member state the Czech Republic would be in a better position to defend its interests and mould European policy. The Prime Minister described the EU enlargement as "a definitive end to the division of Europe".