In its 2009 EU presidency, the Czech Republic will follow the previous Swedish and Portuguese, not the current Slovenian model, Vondra said. The Czech government wants to attract the attention of foreign countries to various parts of the country, he added. Slovenians have concentrated the ministerial meetings in a single place, the resort Brdo. Vondra said Slovenia had to build new facilities on account of the event. "Something was built on scratch.
The investments were considerable," Vondra said, adding that it would not be beneficial to the Czech Republic to organise the EU events in Prague is 12th most popular world city with tourists -TripAdvisor ...
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Czech presidential candidate Svejnar tours regions ... a single place. According to earlier information, out of the 11 informal ministerial meetings, seven will be held outside Prague (such as in Brno, South Moravia, Ostrava, North Moravia, Luhacovice, South Moravia, Olomouc, North Moravia, and Litomerice, North Bohemia). Vondra said the system chosen by the Czech Republic was not supposed to be overpriced, although some of the equipment would have to be moved. The government will not have to invest in new buildings in the regions, Vondra said. The meetings will prompt the improvement of services outside Prague, with the involvement of private businesses, Vondra said, adding that regional authorities, too, would invest millions of crowns. The government did not want to organise all EU meetings in Prague also because the Czech capital, popular with tourists, is overburdened now, Vondra said. "If Prague hosted everything, it would be paralysed," Vondra said. Unlike the regions, Prague does not need so much publicity and increase in its services, Vondra said. "Prague has already passed the test. Outside Prague, the situation is not the best," he added. The previous Czech government said the preparations of the presidency would require some 3.3 billion crowns, while a part of the money would be in the budgets of individual ministries. Vondra said the Czech EU presidency budget now stood at 1.9 billion crowns. Last year, the state spent 200 million, this year 700 million and next year, it will be one billion crowns. The Czech Republic's EU preparations will cost roughly eight million euros less than those of Slovenia. The Czech EU presidency will follow up the French and it will be followed by the Swedish presidency. All the three countries are preparing a joint programme of priorities. After May 20, their representatives will meet in Prague to finally draft it so that it can be submitted in June. It will be followed by Czech priorities, now being created by Vondra's team under the motto "Europe without Barriers." In order to agree on the priorities, Vondra is preparing a meeting with the opposition Social Democrats (CSSD). The Czech draft plan is to be unveiled to the public in June and Czechs will publish its final version briefly before the beginning of their half-year presidency, in January 2009. ($1 = 16.024 crowns)
(Ceske Noviny)
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