The Czech Republic's missed opportunities

The daily Helsingin Sanomat complains about the confused and incompetent work of the Czech EU Council presidency which ends today, Tuesday. It asserts that the EU needs better leadership and more continuity: "The starting position of the Czech presidency was difficult. At the helm of the EU was a small, new EU country whose domestic policy was in a state of confusion. … And the circumstances were also unfavourable: the global economic crisis had Europe in its grip and France's preceding Council presidency had been more successful than expected. Even if you try to see the Czech Republic's activities in the light of these factors a couple of the presidency's initiatives are testimony to a poor assessment of the situation [as regards the war in Gaza and reaching agreement with the US over the financial crisis]. … When they [the EU states] get the feeling that the leadership of the Union is no longer up to its task they start doing their own thing and unity evaporates."

» full article (external link, Finnish)

» To the complete press review of Tuesday, June 30, 2009