Czech PM: ‘EU statesmen inspired by North Korea’

Basic reservations about functioning of EU summit influenced Czech PM Petr Nečas’ decision not to sign the EU fiscal treaty

Politics & Policy|Economy

Tom Jones | 02.02.2012

VIP

Czech PM Petr Nečas (center) with his British counterpart — and fellow EU fiscal pact refusenik — David Cameron (right), in Brussels on January 30

Czech Prime Minister Petr Nečas says in an open letter published Thursday that tendencies towards protectionism are stifling one of fundamental reasons for the existence of the EU – the open internal market. Further, he says one reason behind his decision not to sign the new EU fiscal austerity agreement was that it was presented as a fait accompli to be signed within minutes.

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Let's follow this logic

Akita Inu|02.02.2012 - 17:21

To Necas, the only valid reasons for a country to join a union of other countries are:

1. open internal market

2. benefits to itself

In that case, if every other county of the union were to focus only on its own benefit, that would come at the expense of others - in export/import balance, it's always a zero sum game. To Necas, it's only take, take and take - never give.

To draw a parallel, if every soldier in a platoon were to fight to save his own skin, that platoon would be wiped out. And, under his leadership, that is exactly how ODS "cooperates" with the other parties of its own coalition.

With this philosophy of selfishness and greed, what was it that Necas thought he would take when he joined his party?

The question here is not Necas' lame justifications but his judgment, his morals and character.

As to "open internal markets" and his dislike for Europe's self-reliance, he is naive at best. He just doesn't get it. To preach "pure capitalism" in a country dominated by oligopolies and corruption, in a world divided by economic and geopolitical blocks, is sufficiently stupid to question his ability to govern.