Reacting to the UK’s decision to leave the EU, Czech Secretary for European Affairs Tomáš Prouza told the daily Hospodářské noviny that the EU will now focus on stabilizing the economic fallout. Business relationships with the UK will be re-set in two years at the earliest, and nothing will change till then. The effects of the UK’s referendum will play out over the next three to eight years, Prouza predicts.
The new setup will depend what kind of deal the UK works out with the EU, says Radek Špicar, vice president of the Association of Industry and Trade, who argues that the Czech Republic should strive to be more in line with other EU members states and should consider switching to the euro. Czech politicians are emphasizing the need for change. Foreign Minister Lubomir Zaorálek said Brussels needs to respond to negative sentiments within the alliance. The EU must focus more on people’s needs. Leaders from the liberal TOP 09 and the Civic Democrats stressed that the Czech Republic should take an active role in the EU reform that will inevitably need to take place.
