Topolánek outlines plans for EU presidency in address to European Parliament

Prime Minister Mirek Topolánek has outlined the Czech Republic’s plans for its six-month presidency of the European Union in an address to the European Parliament in Strasbourg. He reiterated the motto of the Czech presidency – Europe without Barriers – and the three “Es” Czech officials have made the centre of its programme: economy, energy and external relations. Mr Topolánek told MEPs he wanted to be like the 14th century Czech king and emperor Charles IV, who had to represent the whole of the Holy Roman Empire. In Wednesday morning’s speech, he also strongly rejected criticism of Czech President Václav Klaus over the latter’s Eurosceptic views; he said an EU which had lost the ability to hold a public debate would not be his EU.