Zeman and Barroso hoist EU flag over Castle in symbolic break with Klaus era

The president of the European Commission, Jose Manuel Barroso, and the Czech president, Miloš Zeman, raised the flag of the European Union over Prague Castle on Wednesday morning. The move signals a marked change from the era of the previous Czech president, Václav Klaus, who refused to fly the EU flag.

President Zeman also signed an addendum to the bloc’s Lisbon Treaty enabling the creation of a rescue fund, which is also something that his eurosceptic predecessor refused to do. The president called the signing “symbolic” in importance as the fund has been functioning since last autumn. He also said that he was “convinced” that by the time the Czech Republic adopts the European currency, problems like those faced by Cyprus and Greece today will have been overcome.