Právo: EU developments expose ČR's lack of courage

Prague, Dec 15 (CTK) - The latest developments in Europe arouse legitimate economic-political considerations, but also unfortunately expose the inability of the Czech political elites to offer clear and courageous stands at the time of crisis, Jiri Pehe writes in daily Pravo yesterday.

Stands like opportunism, lack of principles and expediency for which Czechs paid dear in history are surfacing again after 22 years of democratic developments at the time of the first large crisis situation which the current developments in the European Union undoubtedly are, Pehe writes.

The fact that Czech Prime Minister Petr Necas "decided" at the recent EU summit not to make any decision because he allegedly did not have the necessary mandate was nothing but continuation of the Czech political scene's opportunist stands not only in relation to the EU, but to the outer world in general, Pehe writes.

He says the prime ministers of the other countries evidently had the "mandate" and acted accordingly.

True, some countries took time for consideration, but their prime ministers did not behave as if they were unable to make decision on anything, Pehe writes.

He says measures to save the euro were intensively discussed in a majority of countries before the summit while the Czech Republic was veiled in political silence.

A crushing majority of subsequent political statements on what the Czechs should do were typical of the worst narrow-mindedness: "let us cower, let us wait, do not let us offer any clear stands, not to say own solutions!" Pehe writes.

President Vaclav Klaus claims that Czechs should behave as a self-confident and sovereign nation in the current European quagmire, which means standing aside in his interpretation, Pehe writes.

Klaus and other proponents of similar opinions justify them saying participation in the salvation of the euro need not be "advantageous" for "us" (Czechs), Pehe writes.

May be, but what would happen if Czechs did at least once something that is not advantageous at first sight if viewed through the prism of narrow-mindedness, but what is simply courageous or principled, Pehe asks.

How can a "quasi self-confident" nation be accepting hundreds of billions of crowns from the EU while political leaders are starting inventing reasons why the Czechs cannot show solidarity, Pehe writes.

Opportunism, unfortunately, generates weakness and deviousness in behaviour. Klaus, who is fond of talking about national self-confidence, may be the best embodiment of this, Pehe writes.

Klaus almost declares war on the crisis-weakened European Union from the position of national sovereignty, he is dishonestly kowtowing to Russian President Dmitry Medvedev so strongly that he is afraid of even commenting on the rigged elections in Russia, Pehe writes.

Irrespective of how the EU crisis may end and irrespective of its impact on the Czech Republic, it has revealed that the Czech elites have not taken a lesson from the tragic national history and continue repeating the same mistakes, Pehe writes.