The European Commission (EC) believes that the appointment of a new Czech cabinet will ensure an effective continuation of the Czech EU presidency, EC President Jose Barroso said in a statement issued on Friday, Xinhua reported.
Barroso praised outgoing Czech Prime Minister Mirek Topolanek for successfully heading the Czech presidency till now. He said the Czech EU presidency, starting on Jan. 1, achieved very impressive results for the European Union.
He also congratulated Jan Fischer on becoming head of the new government, and pledged the EC's support to him.
"I'm confident that in the coming weeks and months this excellent work will continue and the Czech Presidency will be a very successful one," Barroso said. "The Commission is confident that the Czech Republic, especially its government will do their utmost to go on ensuring an efficient and results orientated Council Presidency."
Some experts and diplomats hold that the Fischer cabinet's position in the EU will be difficult, because the cabinet consists of unaffiliated experts instead of politicians.
In addition, it is quite unusual that the government has been replaced in a country halfway its EU presidency, especially when Europe faces the impact of the worst ever economic crisis and would rather need a strong and stable presidency, commentators say.
The new cabinet, whose members have been nominated by the Civic Democratic Party (ODS), the Social Democratic Party (CSSD) and the Green Party (SZ), will lead the country until early elections due in mid October.
The summit of the EU in Prague on Friday, focusing on ways to transfer gas from Central Asia to Europe and attended by the respective states' representatives, was the last event which Topolanek attended as the European Council head.
At the end of the summit, Barroso thanked Topolanek for his perfect cooperation with EU.
Javier Solana, the EU's high representative for foreign and security policy, described cooperation with Topolanek as excellent.
Starting from July the EU presidency will go to Sweden.
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