THE CZECH PRESIDENCY IN THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION AS A “LESSON” FOR THE NEW EU MEMBER STATES

Abstract

This article is dedicated to the question of how the experience of the Czech presidency of the Council of the European Union that it has exercised in the first half of 2009 may help the new European Union Member States in their preparations to take the first presidency in the history of their presence in the European Union structures. The article poses the thesis that, while the Czech government did a good job, the responsible attitude of officials was not followed suit by the maturity of the political class. Bitter, internal political dispute and, consequently a fall of the government, ruined the image of the presidency and almost completely eclipsed the undoubted successes such as the launch of Eastern Partnership. Poland, Slovakia, Romania and other “new” EU Member States, if only they wish, they can learn a very good lesson from it. Keywords: Council of the European Union, responsible attitude of officials, internal political dispute.