Government Clings to Goal of Becoming EU Member in 2003

PRAGUE, Czech Republic —  At a European Union summit meeting in December attended by the leaders of nations that hope to join, Czech Prime Minister Milos Zeman valiantly defended his country’s goal of winning membership in three years.

“I consider the year 2003 a feasible date,” Zeman declared at the summit in Helsinki, Finland, adding that Jan. 1 of that year also remains the target date for five other leading candidates: Hungary, Poland, Slovenia, Estonia and Cyprus.

However, while there is great reluctance among Czech officials to admit it, that goal appears increasingly unrealistic for their nation.

As communism collapsed in Eastern Europe a decade ago, the relatively urbanized and prosperous Czech Republic, with its long history of integration into Western European affairs, was the leading contender among post-Communist states for rapid acceptance by the European Union.

In the past few years, however, political gridlock and a stagnant economy have knocked the country down the list. And in October, a highly critical EU report found that the Czechs had fallen far behind in efforts to bring their laws into conformity with EU regulations, as required for membership.

The Czech Republic also needs to make more progress in privatizing state-owned industry and preparing for a new competitive environment.

Some Czechs say fault lies with the European Union for being too demanding.

“The EU cannot expect any transforming country to have its legislation 100% in conformity by the end of 2002,” said Jan Zahradil, vice chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee in the lower house of Parliament. “The European Union has to change a bit its way of looking at these countries. It is not only a mechanical question of adopting legislation. It’s also a question of political will to accept new members.”

The government has taken steps to speed up the process of bringing its laws into harmony with EU rules, but much more remains to be done, Pavel Telicka, the state secretary for European affairs, said in a recent interview. He stressed that the Czech Republic should seek not only to catch up with those ahead in the race for EU entry but also to be “in the lead.”

“Before the Second World War this was one of the most developed countries in the world,” Telicka said. “I believe we have a very high potential among the candidate countries. The mistake we are making is comparing ourselves with the others. We should compare ourselves with our goals.”

By such measures as per capita income, the Czech Republic remains among the applicant countries closest to Western European standards, Telicka noted. The main problem is the recent slow pace of improvement, he stressed.

The Czech Republic’s annual per capita gross domestic product of $5,300 is about 10% above that of Hungary and about 30% above Poland’s. But those two nations had solid growth last year, whereas the Czech economy shrank an estimated 1%.

Given the high cost of aid and farm subsidies, some observers question whether the European Union can afford to bring in many new members before the alliance begins a new budget cycle in 2006. Czech membership may be postponed at least until then regardless of how strong a bid Prague makes.

The Jan. 1, 2003, target date “is very ambitious,” Telicka said. “I think you always have to set the date that is the first possible. You might or might not make it. Of course, it is difficult for politicians to admit you are a year wrong. But if we set 2004, it would send the signal not that we are more realistic, but less ambitious.”

Integration into Western European institutions is widely seen here as a right won by overturning communism. Many Czechs resent any signs of EU members trying to postpone enlargement of the bloc. Some worry about a potential political backlash if entry is delayed too long.

The European Union will be making “an enormous political mistake which will have consequences” if it refuses any expansion until 2006 or beyond, Telicka added. “It would be a betrayal.”