Prague has reacted with anger to remarks made by French President Nicolas Sarkozy on moving French car companies back from the Czech Republic, saying the comments endanger ratification of the EU treaty in the central European member state. "If someone wanted to really jeopardise the ratification of the Lisbon Treaty, he could not have chosen a better way and a better time," Czech prime minister Mirek Topolanek told the Hospodarske Noviny daily, reports AFP. French-Czech relations have soured since the handover of EU presidency responsibilities Calling the remarks "incredible", Mr Topolanek said: "I don't want to scaremonger, I will vote in favour of Lisbon, but here is a big country taking decisions on what will affect our lives." In an unusual step, Prague, which currently holds the EU presidency, also released an official statement on the issue.
Prague has reacted with anger to remarks made by French President Nicolas Sarkozy on moving French car companies back from the Czech Republic, saying the comments endanger ratification of the EU treaty in the central European member state.
"If someone wanted to really jeopardise the ratification of the Lisbon Treaty, he could not have chosen a better way and a better time," Czech prime minister Mirek Topolanek told the Hospodarske Noviny daily, reports AFP.
French-Czech relations have soured since the handover of EU presidency responsibilities
Calling the remarks "incredible", Mr Topolanek said: "I don't want to scaremonger, I will vote in favour of Lisbon, but here is a big country taking decisions on what will affect our lives."
In an unusual step, Prague, which currently holds the EU presidency, also released an official statement on the issue.
French President Nicolas Sarkozy has told car companies set to get a 6 billion euro government loan that they should keep jobs in France. That has enraged the Czech Republic, a major producer of French cars. The French auto industry is set to secure a 6 billion euros ($7.75 billion) government loan Monday, Feb. 9, as it struggles to stay afloat during a global financial crisis. As part of the deal, France's two largest automakers, Renault and Peugeot-Citroen, will reportedly agree not to outsource car production to low-wage countries. During the period of the five-year loan, the companies have agreed not to shut any French factory or outsource production abroad, according to news reports. The outsourcing was a sticking point in getting an accord, the French daily Le Figaro wrote.The head of PSA Peugeot Citroen, Christian Streiff, feels it is impossible to make such promises, according to the newspaper report.
The French auto industry is set to secure a 6 billion euros ($7.75 billion) government loan Monday, Feb. 9, as it struggles to stay afloat during a global financial crisis. As part of the deal, France's two largest automakers, Renault and Peugeot-Citroen, will reportedly agree not to outsource car production to low-wage countries.
During the period of the five-year loan, the companies have agreed not to shut any French factory or outsource production abroad, according to news reports.
The outsourcing was a sticking point in getting an accord, the French daily Le Figaro wrote.The head of PSA Peugeot Citroen, Christian Streiff, feels it is impossible to make such promises, according to the newspaper report.
