Archive: Foreign policy | Visegrad Four

After failing to reach a decision during over 18 hours of talks on Sunday and Monday, EU leaders are reconvening in Brussels to try to agree who should lead the bloc’s institutions for the coming five years. Dutch socialist Frans Timmermans, a frontrunner for European Commission president, faces strong opposition from the Czech Republic and fellow Visegrad Four states.

The Czech prime minister, Andrej Babiš, says it is important that none of the so-called “spitzenkandidats” received majority support to become president of the European Commission at a European Council meeting last week. Spitzenkandidats are the leaders of the parties in the European Parliament that did best in elections in May. Some of them don’t like the territory of the Visegrad Four countries, Mr. Babiš said at a conference on economic diplomacy at the Czech Foreign Ministry on Monday Morning.

The Czech leader said it was important that the successor to Jean-Claude Juncker not comment on political matters but rather focus on implementing the conclusions of the European Council.

The new Slovak president, Zuzana Čaputová, visited Prague on Thursday, in her first foreign visit. The liberal politician stressed the importance of Visegrad Four cooperation as well as expressing understanding for those who are currently taking part in protests in the Czech Republic.

The newly installed Slovak president Zuzana Čaputová, who visited Prague on Monday, expressed her understanding for people who are demonstrating against Prime Minister Andrej Babiš and for independent judiciary.

Speaking at a concert in her honour at Prague’s Kampa island, the Slovak head of state said drew analogy with last year’s demonstrations in Slovakia against the government led by Prime Minister Robert Fico. "What these demonstrations have in common is their peaceful tone", Mrs Čaputová said.

A series of protest took place in the Czech Republic in recent weeks against PM Babiš and his appointment of Marie Benešová as justice minister. The most recent rally in Prague was attended by an estimated 120,000 people. Another demonstration is due to take place on June 23 on Prague’s Letná plain, the venue of the largest anti-regime demonstrations of November 1989.

The prime ministers of the Visegrad group states did not agree on a joint candidate for European Commission president at their talks in Budapest on Thursday.

Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babis said it was necessary to choose a candidate who would be best for all, adding that the Visegrad Group, comprising the Czech Republic, Poland, Hungary and Slovakia had no ambitions to try to push through a candidate of their own choice.

Hungary indicated last week that the group of four might present a joint position as regards the filling of crucial posts and support candidates who take the V4 region seriously and support its interests.

Outgoing Slovak President Andrej Kiska has arrived in the Czech Republic for his final foreign trip as head of state. He was received by Czech president Miloš Zeman at Lány Chateau on Thursday afternoon.

Mr Kiska steps down in mid-June to be succeeded by Zuzana Čaputová. The first official visit of the newly elected Slovak president, who will be sworn in on June 15, will also lead to the Czech Republic.

Czech Foreign Minister Tomáš Petříček is in Bratislava for an informal meeting on Monday between representatives of the Visegrad Group and Eastern Partnership countries.

The Eastern Partnership was launched in Prague in 2009 during the Czech Presidency of the European Union.

The aim was to boost cooperation between the EU and the former Soviet republics of Ukraine, Belarus, Georgia, Armenia, Azerbaijan and Moldova.

The tenth anniversary of the Eastern Partnership will be celebrated in Brussels from 13-14 May.

Czech President Miloš Zeman received Slovak presidential candidate, Vice-President of the European Commission Maroš Šefčovič at Lany chateau on Sunday.

The meeting took place less than a week before the second round of presidential elections in Slovakia in which Šefčovič faces lawyer Zuzana Čaputova.

According to the president’s spokesman Jiří Ovčáček, Mr. Zeman expressed appreciation of Mr. Šefčovič’s experience and political skills and wished him good luck in Saturday’s run-off.

Czech President Miloš Zeman is to receive Slovak presidential candidate, Vice-President of the European Commission Maroš Šefčovič at Lany chateau on Sunday.

The news was confirmed by the Czech president’s chancellor, Vratislav Mynář, who told Denik N that the meeting was taking place at the request of Mr. Šefčovič.

The meeting will take place less than a week before the second round of presidential elections in Slovakia in which Šefčovič faces lawyer Zuzana Čaputova.

The president’s spokesman Jiří Ovčáček refused to comment on media speculation that Mr. Zeman would officially support Mr. Šefčovič in the run-off, saying that the Czech president would receive Mrs. Čaputová as well, were she to request a meeting.

Prime Minister Andrej Babiš is currently on an official visit to Israel, meeting with his counterpart Benjamin Netanyahu and has high hopes for strengthening what he says is a “strategic partnership”. I asked Irena Kalhousová, an expert on Czech-Israeli relations from the London School of Economics, what makes the relationship special.