PRAGUE, Dec. 6 (Xinhua) -- Former Czech Prime Minister Vladimir Spidla was awarded here on Tuesday the Order of the Legion of Honour, one of France's highest civilian awards.
The award was bestowed by the French president to Spidla for his contribution to the development of Czech-French relations and the promotion of European integration.
French Ambassador Charles Malinas handed the award to Spidla at the French embassy in Prague.
Malinas stressed that as prime minister and later European commissioner, Spidla in his position always defended the European Union and performed publicly in favor of European integration.
He praised Spidla's "deep conviction and faith in the EU, which is needed in the present time of growing euroscepticism."
Spidla was prime minister when the Czech Republic was deciding on its EU accession. He supported the entry despite the dissenting opinion of former President Vaclav Klaus.
Spidla also expressed his faith in the EU on Tuesday when he called European integration a miracle at the awarding ceremony. He said the European Union is the only base that enable them to retain the European way of life with all its advantages.
Spidla, 65, was Czech prime minister in 2002-2004.
