Official celebrations launch Czech EU presidency

Although the Czech Republic officially assumed the EU presidency on the first day of 2009, official celebrations marking the launch of the presidency have been scheduled for Wednesday, January 7. Who will be attending the celebrations and what exactly is on the programme?

Mirek Topolánek shakes hand with Jose Manuel Barroso, photo: CTK

A delegation of EU officials headed by president of the European Commission Jose Manuel Barroso, landed at Prague’s Ruzyně airport at midday on Wednesday for twenty-four-hours packed with meetings and cultural events. I spoke to Jana Urbánková from the government’s office, who is responsible for coordinating the official programme, just as she was heading for the airport, and asked her to briefly outline Wednesday’s agenda:

“The day starts with an official lunch for EU and Czech government officials in the Sovovy Mlýny restaurant at Kampa Park, which is in the Lesser Town.”

What is on the menu?

“The cuisine is Czech. We wanted to offer them typical Czech food, nothing international. Then they will move to Lichtenstein Palace to attend cluster meetings according to their agenda and talk to the members of our government about the current political situation in Europe and in the world.”

From the gala called 'Europe in Sweet Harmony', photo: CTK

Are you planning to take special security measures?

“Yes, security measures are in place – mainly concerning the movement of the president of the European Commission and there will be security measures on the way from the airport to the centre of the city and around the National Theatre where the official opening ceremony starts in the evening.”

How will that affect people who live in Prague?

“We hope that not much. We tried to take only the necessary measures and nothing more.”

While members of the EU delegation were enjoying a lunch consisting of goulash soup, guinea fowl with mashed potatoes and spinach, rounded off with apple and rhubarb cake with vanilla ice cream, the National Theatre in Prague was busy making final preparations for the gala evening, conceived by the Forman brothers, the sons of film director Miloš Forman. Just before the start of the dress rehearsal, producer Lída Vacková unveiled details of the programme:

From the gala called 'Europe in Sweet Harmony', photo: CTK

“The evening will start off with the well-known Czech actor and singer Jiří Suchý taking over the EU presidency from the hands of a well known Czech-French personality, though I can’t reveal just now who that is. That will be followed by some lesser known pieces by famous Czech composers and selected sketches by the Forman Brothers and the National Theatre. We want to present current Czech authors, artists and set designers and also to introduce young artists who we think really represent the European generation.”

The opening ceremony will be attended by the crème-de-la-crème of Czech society – politicians, diplomats, cultural figures and church dignitaries. Among those present will be the former Czech president Václav Havel. The current president Václav Klaus, on the other hand, has already made it clear that he won’t be coming. Although he gave no particular reason for his absence, most people will probably see it as his first public boycott of the EU presidency.