Czech Foreign Minister Petr Macinka has turned down the EU reform plans put forward by his German colleague, Johann Wadephul (CDU). Expressing his skepticism regarding supranational fixes, Macinka told the “Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung” that he does not believe Europe can be saved by “abstract visions from Brussels” noting the immense difficulty of changing established rules and treaties. Wadephul had campaigned during a keynote speech last Wednesday for several reforms, including the abolition of the unanimity principle in foreign and security policy and the adoption of qualified majorities instead. Macinka, who chairs the EU-critical Motoristenpartei, formally rejected these proposals in the FAZ. He stated, “I believe this cannot be accepted by many countries, especially not by the smaller ones. It is very difficult to abolish the national veto”. Instead, Macinka emphasized the necessity of consensus, suggesting that the use of a veto does not inherently signal an intent to cause trouble, but rather indicates a country grappling with its own internal issues and therefore choosing that specific route.
Politics
