Dlouhý: Euro protection is Czech interest, EU must change

Prageu, Sept 12 (CTK) - The Czech Republic should support short-term measures to protect the euro and act in solidarity with the EU states that have economic problems, but the EU must change, economist Vladimir Dlouhy, direct presidential election candidate, said Wednesday.

He said the EU must reassess the model of its functioning, restrict bureaucracy, eliminate unnecessary regulations and the too generous welfare state.

Dlouhy released his stands on the EU, the first part of his candidacy programme.

"The lavish welfare model as the primary source of debts, the unnecessarily unified and over-regulated home market, the overhasty introduction of the euro and the naive notion of political integration result in Europe losing its competitiveness," Dlouhy said.

He said the original idea of European integration and mutual solidarity is correct.

But it is a mistake that the EU overburdens citizens and businesspeople with its decrees, Dlouhy said.

He said Europeans are exerting effort at accommodating the EU rules and trying to make use of EU subsidies instead of taking their own initiative.

The presidential candidates have agreed in a CTK survey on that the Czech Republic's future lies in the EU, but they differ in their opinions on the degree of the member countries' integration.

Former caretaker prime minister Jan Fischer (unaffiliated) expects individual countries to progress at a different pace in the process of integration.

He said the Czech Republic must first clearly set its national interest, make a decision on what model of integration is acceptable for it and who is its possible partner.

Former Social Democrat (CSSD) prime minister Milos Zeman, now honorary chairman of the Party of Citizens' Rights (SPOZ), said he supports a European federation and that he considers it necessary that the EU have single¨foreign and defence policies.

He would not be even opposed to a single economic system, he said previously.

Premysl Sobotka, presidential candidate of the senior government Civic Democrats (ODS), said he is for a bigger competitiveness and for a restriction of European integration.

Ladislav Jakl, secretary of the incumber President Vaclav Klaus, is one of the strongest critics of the EU among the presidential candidates.

The first direct presidential election in the Czech Republic will be held early next year when Klaus's second term expires. Until now Czech presidents have been elected by the two houses of parliament.