12.1.2009 en
Le Figaro: Václav Klaus in dispute with Nicolas Sarkozy in ParisThe French conservative daily Le Figaro quotes the Czech President, Václav Klaus, as saying in Paris that "there is no point in convening an EU summit every weekend", which the article interprets as an attack on the hyperactivity of the French President, Nicolas Sarkozy. Václav Klaus is also said to have declared that he will "do anything to prevent the ratification of the Lisbon Treaty in the Czech Republic”. The author of the article states that the Czech President’s views have stoked controversy in Paris once again amid concerns for the fate of the Lisbon Treaty in the Czech Republic.
HN: Sarkozy losing battle for UnionThe Slovak daily HN has published critical comments about the ambitions of French President Nicolas Sarkozy, who "handled his duties more or less successfully" but "is unwilling to relinquish control" and “has not done the Czech Presidency any favours", even “putting a spoke in its wheel”. In contrast, the paper welcomes the self-confidence of Czech Prime Minister Mirek Topolánek, who has convened the proposed summit on economic issues, but on his own rather than Nicolas Sarkozy’s terms, where "Topolánek will be keen to bury the image of Sarkozy as the EU’s saviour once and for all". According to the author, in this light Sarkozy and his plans to subsidise French vehicle manufacturers can only play into Topolánek’s hands.
Die Süddeutsche Zeitung: Sarkozy provokes federal government’s angerOne of the most prominent and highly regarded German newspapers, Die Süddeutsche Zeitung, discusses the German Federal Government’s favourable opinion of one of the Czech Presidency’s priorities, the free market and equal economic opportunities within a "Europe without Barriers", and criticises the protectionism the French President Nicolas Sarkozy is currently trying to defend. The article mentions how, in Munich, German Chancellor Angela Merkel again rejected Sarkozy's proposal to form a Paris-led economic government of eurozone countries.
Delo: Topolánek versus Sarkozy, round three"The only way out of this crisis is to pull together and respect the rules of the internal market," the Slovak daily newspaper Delo quotes Czech Prime Minister and President of the EU Council Mirek Topolánek as saying in the debate on the informal EU Council scheduled for 1 March. According to the author, EU Council President Topolánek believes that shielding national interests – especially in a crisis – is highly dangerous and that "Europe must exploit all the flexibility the internal market can offer".
Financial Times: Brussels convenes summits to strengthen unityThe prestigious Financial Times analyses the current disagreement within the European Union on the issue of how to solve the economic crisis. It also confirms the organisation of the planned EU Summits and refers to the French accusation of the Czech Presidency´s “supposedly” weak leadership. The author quotes the statement of President of the European Council Mirek Topolánek on how to face and solve the financial crisis: “Only by co-ordinated and united action will we overcome the crisis. The internal market is the vehicle that will drive us out of it.” The FT also published Topolánek´s other statement, according to which he is sorry that during the fall-out caused by different opinions on car manufacturers he “could not deal with President Sarkozy personally, that he has learnt his lesson and that it is better to call each other up in the future.”
Last update: 14.2.2009 1:41
