Incoming EU president the Czech Republic said on Thursday that French plans to beef up the group of countries sharing the euro would divide the union rather than strengthen it.
And a senior Czech minister, reacting to speculation in the Czech media triggered by reports of the French plan, said there was no question of France extending its presidency through 2009, bypassing the Czechs and later Sweden.
France's Nicolas Sarkozy suggested on Tuesday that a stronger Eurogroup would be a better partner for talks with the European Central Bank, and that heads of euro zone states should meet regularly to coordinate policy.
That would exclude the Czech Republic, an EU member since 2004 which is in no rush to adopt the euro.
The French newspaper Le Monde has reported that Sarkozy wants to lead a high-level Eurogroup for the next 12 months until euro zone member Spain takes over the EU presidency at the start of 2010, when it could combine the two roles.
Deputy Prime Minister Alexandr Vondra, in a statement, said regular meetings of Eurogroup leaders under Sarkozy would not be helpful for Europe.
"If the Eurogroup agrees to be presided by a Frenchman and to meet more frequently, most probably we will not be able to prevent this," he said. "However it would not be a wise move but one which would divide EU rather then unify it."
"Bypass is a method used to cure (a heart attack), but is not a suitable method for cooperation within the EU. The EU, hopefully, does not suffer from (a heart attack)."
Vondra, referring to Czech media speculation over the EU presidency itself, said there could be no talk of the Czech Republic, which takes over on Jan.1, being passed over.
"Nobody can take the Presidency away from the Czech Republic," Vondra said. "Any speculation on extension of the current Presidency is groundless and unacceptable."
The Czechs have also not ratified the Lisbon treaty, designed to streamline decision-making in the bloc, and its six-month leadership starting in January has raised concern among some EU politicians.
Despite the Le Monde newspaper, France's European Affairs Minister Jean-Pierre Jouyet said on Thursday that Sarkozy was not pushing to chair a group of eurozone leaders
