The Czech Republic Presidency of the Council of the European Union started on the 1st of July 2022. Today, the Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala presented the programme of activities of the Czech Presidency. In her introduction, European Parliament President Roberta Metsola spoke about the importance of remaining united.
© European Union | European Parliament President Roberta Metsola welcoming the Prime Minister of the Czech Republic Petr Fiala
Dear Prime Minister Fiala, Dear colleagues,
On the 1st of July, we welcomed the Czech Republic at the helm of the Council of the European Union. Today, it is a pleasure to have with us Prime Minister Petr Fiala, to present the programme of activities of the Czech Presidency.
Prime Minister Fiala, dear Petr, welcome to the European Parliament.
With an illegal war on our continent, the Czech Presidency comes at a turning point in history. Our next steps will be decisive for our common future.
Prime Minister Fiala, you - along with the Prime Ministers of Poland and Slovenia - were the first European leaders to visit besieged Kyiv in solidarity. We know that European unity with Ukraine and its people will be central to the Czech Presidency’s agenda.
This is not the time to backtrack on our ambitions. We need to address the economic and social consequences of the pandemic. This is why we must accelerate the green and digital transitions. Here, the Czech Presidency can count on the commitment of this House to make progress on the Fitfor55 package as well as the European Chips Act and the Artificial Intelligence Act.
Prime Minister Fiala, dear Petr, just a few weeks ago, you welcomed myself and the leaders of Parliamentary groups in Prague. It is in this constructive spirit that the European Parliament will continue working with the Czech Presidency on the many important initiatives on the table. On behalf of this House, I wish you every success in the upcoming six months. The President's speech in Czech can be found here.