Apart from the ratification of the EU reform treaty, the three heads of government debated the energy and climate "package." At their joint press conference, also commented on the problem of the German market protection, but they said they did not discuss the issue at the meeting. Merkel and Topolanek today agreed that some member states can hardly fulfil the EU goals concerning climate protection.
Topolanek called the goals unbelievably demanding. Germany with Merkel at the cabinet's helm is considered the EU leading force in climate protection and in the promotion of the energy saving programme. Topolanek reiterated his stance on the ratification of the Lisbon treaty. He also expressed optimism, Merkel, Mubarak call for Lebanese presidential election ...
CzechRep may face trial over recognition of qualifications ... saying the EU will find a way out of the current situation, and stressed that "the ratification process virtually continues." Topolanek said they all agreed that the current EU problems must not prevent further enlargement by countries as Croatia and Serbia. In reaction to journalists' questions about the protection of the German labour market, Merkel expressed fears of foreign labour forces' influx in the situation where some German regions, such as Saxony, suffer from a high unemployment. Topolanek objected that the Czech workforce does not threaten the German market. He said Berlin has mainly internal political reasons for the restrictions, which he could understand but which are difficult to explain to Czech citizens. "We will welcome German workers on the Czech labour market," Topolanek said, slightly ironically. Fico said Bratislava would welcome the opening of the German labour market, but it is not a priority for Slovakia. Every government's duty is primarily to create enough jobs for its own citizens so that they would not have to seek jobs abroad, Fico pointed out. The German government parties intend to prolong the restrictions towards the labour force from the new EU countries until 2011 when they must be lifted. Czech citizens can work freely in all EU countries except for the neighbouring Austria and Germany as well as Belgium, Denmark and France. However, France promised to open its labour market to the EU newcomers next Tuesday, and Belgium and Denmark will probably follow up. Last year, Berlin opened the labour market to selected technical professions, such as mechanical and electrical engineers and car industry experts as well as foreign graduates from German universities. Merkel reiterated it today. Merkel, Topolanek and Fico today met on the occasion of the 40th anniversary of the Prague Spring 1968 reform movement in then Czechoslovakia that was crushed by the Warsaw pact troops invasion later in the same year. After the press conference, the three prime ministers went to the Concert House in Berlin where the official ceremony takes place.
(Ceske Noviny)
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