Respekt: ČR lacks public debate on EU's future

Prague, Dec 13 (CTK) - The Czech Republic, unlike Slovakia or Poland, for instance, lacks a proper public and media debate on the future of the European Union, political discussion is nil and no one asks the government to state its stand in advance, Jan Machacek writes in weekly Respekt out on Monday.

Slovakia waged a lively discussion in the past few weeks on what position it should take at the EU summit that was held in Brussels last Thursday.

Prime Minister Iveta Radicova was leaving for Brussels with a broad mandate embracing the whole political spectrum, including support of opposition leader Robert Fico, Machacek writes.

He says the Slovaks know what and why they want or do not want in Europe and they have even conducted a discussion on it.

Besides, Slovakia did not have to deal with the question of whether to stay, or not to stay in the EU "hard core" because it is a member of the euro zone and wants to stay in the hard core, Machacek writes.

He says a lot has been written about the clear pro-EU stand articulated by Polish Foreign Minister Radek Sikorski.

The Poles agree with the rough contours of proposals for budget control and they want to do practically everything as if they already were in the euro zone, Machacek writes.

Poland has enough economists and its Finance Minister Jacek Rostowski is one of the best in Europe, but none of them considers the proposed changes to treaties or a new treaty a problem for the Polish economy, Machacek writes.

In the Czech Republic only President Vaclav Klaus has clearly pronounced his stand. He said before the summit he will not sign any change, Machacek writes, adding that the summit has not yet agreed on any as yet, however.

Almost the only idea that can be heard from time to time in the Czech Republic is the opinion of Euro sceptic journalists saying that the Czech Republic should make use of the possible changes to the treaties and the crisis of the euro zone and step aside together with Britain and stay only in a sort of a free trade zone, Machacek writes.

He writes that British MEP Daniel Hannan has even told the Czech daily Lidove noviny that the Czech Republic is Britain's greatest ally, it only needs to find courage.

But why should the Czech Republic play the role of a useful idiot for the Euro sceptical Britons, Machacek asks and adds that Czech interests are by no means identical with Britain's.

Britain will be economically strong even without the euro and it may survive even without the European Union, Machacek writes.

Light regulation of financial services and hedge funds is in Britain's interest, it is comprehensible that Britain is afraid of taxation of financial transactions or pan-European bank regulation, Machacek writes.

Britain also has different energy security and geopolitical interests, it does not depend on supplies of raw materials from Russia and it need not be afraid of Moscow controlling its political culture, Machacek writes.

He says under a theory Britain with its customary law is, like Switzerland, incomparable, or a too unique and tradition-based country to serve as a source of inspiration.

The greatest wealth every society has is the set of its rules. Unlike Britain the Czech Republic is not a model of a state with simple rules and a reliable rule of law, Machacek writes.

On the contrary, he writes, it is a cumbersome state and its rules are complicated and difficult to understand. What then is the great Czech "it" Prague wants to protect from further European integration, Machacek asks.

If the euro survives, the Czech Republic could initiate the establishment of an interest group of states that will demand more political legitimacy in the form of federalisation in exchange for more fiscal centralisation and control, Machacek writes.

He writes that federalisation might lead to the creation of a second house of European Parliament, in which every state would have two senators, for instance.

Federalisation could strengthen the role of small- and medium-sized states, Machacek writes.