Czech Republic: Prime Minister Babiš Pushes for a Fairer EU Budget
Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babiš has called for the European Union’s next long-term budget to be fairer and better balanced, arguing that countries with strong industrial sectors should not be disadvantaged by the bloc’s future spending plans.
Babiš made the remarks on September 10 after a meeting of the Visegrad Group (V4) and Ireland in Bratislava. The discussions focused on the EU’s future budget and the economic interests of member states.
The Czech government is particularly concerned that the next EU budget should take account of the needs of countries whose economies rely heavily on manufacturing and industry. Prague wants EU financial policies to support competitiveness rather than create additional disadvantages for industrial economies.
The issue is important as European countries prepare negotiations over the EU’s next multi-year financial framework. Decisions on the budget will influence spending on infrastructure, regional development, agriculture, research and other major European programmes.
Babiš is also scheduled to visit the Ústí nad Labem region on September 11 as part of his domestic government programme.
Meanwhile, Czech officials are continuing discussions on European security and economic cooperation. Foreign Minister Petr Macinka recently stressed the need to prepare for emerging security challenges during an OSCE Economic and Environmental Forum meeting in Prague.
The Czech Republic’s latest position signals that Prague wants the EU’s future financial policies to protect industrial competitiveness while ensuring that member states receive balanced treatment.
