Klaus: Sarkozy wants to pre-empt Czech EU presidency
(PRAGUE) - French President Nicolas Sarkozy wants to "tunnel" the Czech Republic's EU presidency, his Czech counterpart Vaclav Klaus said Sunday, using a term for illegal asset stripping coined when he was prime minister in the 1990s.
Speaking in a television debate, the eurosceptic Klaus referred to speculation that France might seek to extend the presidency it currently holds and not allow the Czechs to take over on January 1, as the world financial crisis continues.
"I believe that if this government is in charge of the presidency (...) it will have a more rational opinion on the financial crisis than most other European countries," said Klaus who had called Sarkozy's steps in the crisis "old socialism" earlier this week.
He added the presidency was not crucial for citizens, and that it was only important if a large country held it.
"Mrs Merkel showed it last spring, Mr Sarkozy is showing it now, but you know well that nobody noticed that Slovenia had the presidency in the first half of the year because the country doesn't have the political strength to influence anything. I think the Czech situation will be similar."
Klaus said Europe was controlled by four large countries -- France, Britain, Germany, and Italy. He also pointed out these countries wrote the Munich agreement which handed the former Czechoslovakia over to Adolf Hitler's Germany in 1938.
"The four large countries influenced the situation in Europe 70 years ago and they will do that forever. We shouldn't expect to break this with our presidency."
Klaus also showed his scepticism when speaking about the Lisbon treaty, the EU's reform package designed to streamline EU institutions, which the Czech Republic has not approved yet, one of only three EU member states not to do so.
"I get mad when I hear they (the cabinet) want to ratify the Lisbon treaty or the climate (change) package," Klaus said. The usually eurosceptic Prime Minister Mirek Topolanek said Monday he expected the ratification this year.
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