Czech PM urges need to find EU consensus to tackle current crises

The main task of the Czech presidency of the Council of the European Union is to find consensus among member states in tackling the impacts of crises that the EU is currently facing, Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala said in a speech to the European Parliament on Wednesday, where he presented his vision for Czechia’s six month EU presidency.

Among the chief challenges faced by the union are inflation as well as the energy and food crises, Mr Fiala said, connecting them to the effects of Russia’s aggression against Ukraine. He said that Russia is not just waging a conventional war, but also a hybrid war, using energy deliveries and refugee waves as a weapon. To tackle the impact of these crises on the EU, member states must agree on measures that will alleviate their effects on citizens, the Czech prime minister said.