Representatives of Israel, Great Britain, and the Western Balkans are set to take a part in October’s informal European leaders’ summit, organised by the Czech EU Presidency, meant to discuss French President Emmanuel Macron’s pan-European initiative.
The European Political Community is an initiative of the French EU Presidency, presented in the first half of 2022. The summit in Prague should be the first top-level meeting of the “Community” and is currently finalising the list of participants.
“The Western Balkans will definitely come, the Eastern Partnership will definitely come, in addition to Ukraine, also Georgia, Armenia. And Israel will also be there,” Czech EU Affairs Minister Mikuláš Bek told Czech Radio. As the Radio noted, Israel would probably be the only country outside the European continent to join the summit.
Israel is a traditional international partner of the Czech Republic. “For example, Israel participates in some European programmes, so it is a country that works closely with the EU. And we can also have a debate about where Europe really ends and Asia begins,” Bek explained.
The participation of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan is still in question. However, according to Bek, he will probably get an invitation.
“Turkey is to some extent diplomatically delicate. There are tensions with some member countries like Cyprus or Greece. But I think we have reached some preliminary consensus that it could be done,” Bek said.
The EU leaders’ summit itself will be in Prague on 7 October, but the enlarged European political community will meet at Prague Castle a day earlier.
According to Bek, the Community should meet regularly in the future.
