Czech Civic Democrats postpone work on EU "euroskeptic" grouping

The right-of-centre Civic Democratic Party, which topped the polls in elections last month, has postponed plans to take part in the launch of a "euroskeptic" right-wing grouping within the European Parliament, the head of the party's group of MEPs Jan Zahradil said on Monday. The move represents a rebuff to British Conservative leader David Cameron, the main driving force behind the creation of such a grouping opposed to further moves for a more integrated European Union. Last month, Mr Cameron visited Prague to try to convince Civic Democrat chairman Mirek Topolanek to commit to such a grouping. The party had come under heavy pressure from German Chancellor, Angela Merkel, not to quit the European Peoples' Party grouping, which favours further steps towards European integration.