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During talks in Brussels on Monday, Czech Foreign Minister Karel Schwarzenberg expressed support for the idea that Eurozone members should have the chance to leave the monetary union at their own volition. He added however that he did not think the present economic crisis could be resolved by re-opening the Lisbon Treaty. In recent weeks there have been calls from some EU members for a change of the ground rules which would allow member states to leave the eurozone or even be expelled if they do not meet the universally adopted criteria. At the meeting the Czech Republic expressed support for the EU’s long-term budgetary plans, describing them as reasonable. Minister Schwarzenberg said that while he could understand calls for more drastic cuts he did not think such a concept was realistic.

Some Czech towns reportedly sponge on EU subsidies intended to improve the quality of life and assist the integration of the Romany minority. According to Tyden magazine cities such as Kladno and Ostrava, but also many others, have used such EU subsidies to upgrade town centers, create pedestrian zones, build car parks and finance other projects not directly linked to the Romany minority. The weekly notes that many local administrations are adept at finding a project that appears to meet the criteria, making sure that Romany interests are partially or marginally involved.

Czech Foreign Minister Karel Schwarzenberg said on Thursday that the European Union was prepared to assist Egypt with the organization of democratic elections in the country, should Egypt explicitly ask for help. The statement followed a meeting between Mr. Schwarzenberg and his Egyptian counterpart Mohamed Kamel Amr, who is currently on an official visit in Prague. Mr. Amr added that Egypt had prepared a detailed plan for its transition to democracy, with elections scheduled for November. He is set to be received by President Václav Klaus on Thursday, who has stressed that on account of historical reasons, the Czech Republic should focus on aid to Egypt’s transition to democracy following the downfall of President Hosni Mubarak.

Foreign Minister Karel Schwarzenberg has named his deputy Jiři Schneider state secretary for EU affairs. The appointment comes just days after the cabinet approved the establishment of an identical post under the prime minister. The TOP 09 party which is led by Foreign Minister Schwarzenberg fiercely opposed the move for fear of losing ground to the prime minister. Speaking in a televised debate on Sunday Minister Schwarzenberg rejected the suggestion that he had made the appointment to vex the prime minister, saying that while his own deputy would represent him in Brussels, the state secretary at government level would coordinate the country’s position on EU matters.

President Klaus has been trying to smooth ruffled feathers in Greece over an interview in which he referred to the Greeks as “ouzo drinkers sitting under the shade of cypress trees”. The president said his remark had been misinterpreted and had not been intended as an insult, and that he had only meant to emphasize that it was up to each EU member state to decide if it wanted to proceed on a quarter power, half power, or full power. He said Czech work performance also significantly lagged behind that of Germany, which was all the more reason for him not to be judgemental in this respect.

The Czech Republic will next year provide 350 troops for the European Union’s battle groups, the Czech chief of general staff Vlastimil Picek said after meeting with the chairman of the EU military committee Hakan Syren in Prague on Thursday. The Czech army will provide a mechanized company complete with logistics support, Mr Picek said. The EU’s military contingent will consist of 2,800 soldiers from six countries including Germany, Austria, Croatia, Macedonia and Ireland; it will be deployed on humanitarian, peace-keeping and reconstruction missions.

A proposal to establish a state secretary for EU affairs, approved by the Czech cabinet on Wednesday, has divided the ruling coalition. While the proposal was pushed through by the Civic Democratic Party and Public Affairs the third party in government, TOP09, remains strongly opposed to the move which it claims to be in violation of the coalition agreement. The party, which holds the foreign ministry, fears the new post will detract from its powers and has demanded coalition talks on the issue. Petr Drulák, head of the Prague-based Institute of

A legal analysis commissioned by the Czech Foreign Ministry has advised separating the Czech opt-out from the Lisbon Treaty from Croatia’s admission to the EU in an upcoming vote in the Czech Parliament. Although the government originally recommended linking the two issues in one treaty for practical purposes, the analysis warned that opposition to the opt-out from the Social Democrats, who have a majority in the Senate, could complicate Croatia’s accession to the EU. In 2009 President Vaclav Klaus only signed the Lisbon Treaty after the EU agreed to his demand for a Czech opt-out from the EU’s Charter of Fundamental Rights, which is part of the Lisbon Treaty. The Czech president feared it could open the way for restitution claims by Sudeten Germans expelled from Czechoslovakia after the war. The treaty will require a constitutional three fifth majority to get the legislation passed in both houses, meaning that the government needs to win support from at least part of the opposition.

The cabinet on Wednesday also approved a list of priority areas for which the country would request EU funds in the coming years. They include raising the competitiveness of the economy, improving the infrastructure and assisting social integration. The government’s economic council has advised a more cohesive and target oriented policy in applying for and using EU funds.

Reuters says Czech ministries want free emissions vouchers for power producers; economy grew by 2.4% in the last quarter; the court approves the sale of Sazka by tender; woeful 2Q results for ČEZ; and the central bank says the country will have met the conditions for adopting the euro next year.