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The Czech Republic, from July 1, took over the next presidency of the Council of the European Union, which lasts until the end of this year.
In the previous six months, France was in this position.
According to the diplomats in Brussels, the Czech Republic will keep as a priority a series of issues that have crossed the French presidency, which are related to the war in Ukraine and the security of energy supply.
A senior European diplomat said that the Czech Republic will also give the Western Balkans an important priority.
This source said that at the time of Russia’s aggression in Ukraine, the process of enlargement of the European Union is more important than ever and that this also applies to the EU’s relations with the countries of the Western Balkans.
According to him, the Czech Republic hopes that during its presidency there will be concrete progress regarding the Western Balkans – to start EU membership negotiations with Albania and North Macedonia, as well as to complete the visa liberalization process for Kosovo.
According to diplomatic sources, the highest levels are working for the first intergovernmental conference, which would symbolically open membership negotiations for Skopje and Tirana, to take place before the summer holidays – that is, in the first month of the Czech presidency.
Regarding the liberalization of visas with Kosovo, the Czech Republic, according to diplomatic sources, is ready to put this decision on the agenda, as soon as it is proven that there is readiness from the member countries for the lifting of visas.
The European Commission has confirmed that it remains in the position that Kosovo has met all the criteria and that the protracted process of visa liberalization should be concluded as soon as possible. However, some member countries, such as France, continue to express reservations about the free movement of Kosovars.
Diplomats in Brussels say that the Czech Republic, in its capacity as EU president, will consult with the member countries and that it has expressed readiness to move this process forward.
During the Czech presidency, the procedure for Croatia’s entry into the free movement zone, Schengen, is also expected to be completed.
This country, which became a member of the EU exactly nine years ago – on July 1, 2013 – is expected to enter the Schengen area on January 1, 2023, from when there will be no more border crossings from Croatia to other EU countries.
France submitted the formal proposal for Croatia’s entry into the Schengen area just one day before the end of its presidency, and now the Czech Republic only has to complete the formal part, after the European Commission has confirmed that Croatia has fulfilled all the conditions.
Usually, the countries that take the EU presidency prepare their priorities several years in advance, but changing circumstances cause priorities to change as well.
Thus, the management of the crisis of refugees from Ukraine is imposed on the Czech Republic as a priority; continued aid to Ukraine, to face in every aspect the aggression of Russia; security of energy supply, which means reducing dependence on Russia; strengthening the stability of the economy in the EU and strengthening democratic institutions.
This is the second time the Czech Republic has taken the EU presidency since it became a member of the bloc in 2004.
The first time, this country presided in 2009. During the then presidency, the Czech Government was overthrown, but the country’s presidency with the EU was evaluated as successful.
Diplomats in Brussels say they are not sure if the Czech Republic will organize any meeting of EU leaders with their counterparts from the Western Balkans.
A senior diplomat said the last EU summit in Brussels with regional leaders, held last week, had been “such a big failure that there will now be reluctance to organize such a meeting, if there are no clear signals that there will be concrete progress” for countries that aspire to EU integration.
The Czech Republic, however, will organize a meeting of leaders in Prague on October 6, when it will be discussed about “wider Europe” – that is, about the relations between the EU and other European countries that are not in the EU. But the format of this meeting will be decided later.
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