European Journal - The Czech Republic: Celebrities Say it For the EU - 31.12.2008

The Czech Republic is set to take over the rotating EU presidency from France in January. The eastern European nation is expected to find France's ambitious goals a hard act to follow. It promises to be a difficult six months: President Vaclav Klaus is a notorious EU-sceptic, and the path to the ratification of the EU's Lisbon reform treaty remains strewn with obstacles. Nonetheless, a major advertising campaign has been launched to get the country in the mood, featuring images of famous athletes, models and musicians snapped by well-known photographer Herbert Slavik. Libor Pesek, one of the Czech Republic’s foremost conductors, was among the stars who posed for his camera.