The Association for International Affairs (AMO) has just published its annual “Agenda for Czech Foreign Policy” report. As always, the Prague-based think tank has not only analysed global developments and the role of Czech diplomacy in them, but also laid out recommendations for the direction it should take, given new challenges.
AMO released its latest “Agenda” report on Wednesday ahead of a discussion – socially distanced, with everyone wearing facemasks – on its findings and policy prescriptions with Minister of Foreign Affairs Tomáš Petříček.
Topping the agenda was how the Covid-19 pandemic has shown the need to intensify and better coordinate action among European Union member states, says AMO research fellow and report co-author Pavel Havlíček.
Former Czech Health Minister Adam Vojtěch has been nominated as the country’s ambassador to Finland, pending approval from President Miloš Zeman. Vojtěch has previously expressed his wish to be more active in diplomacy rather than politics. Photo Credit: Freepik / Illustrative Photo.
Czech Rep., Feb 17 (BD) – The Czech government has nominated former Health Minister Adam Vojtěch as the country’s ambassador to Finland. The decision was supported by Prime Minister Andrej Babiš, who directly assigned Vojtěch to the embassy in Helsinki. In late January, Vojtěch said that he would be interested in working in diplomacy instead of politics: “Even before I left my ministerial post, I felt that politics was not the environment for me. But it was a life experience and we will see what happens next.” The Minister of Foreign Affairs Tomáš Petříček declined to comment on this decision. President Zeman’s approval is still required for the appointment, though he is
Czech health minister Jan Blatný is aware of the negative impacts of coal mining on the environment and human health. “Personally, I am in favour of a coal mining phase-out as soon as possible,” he told EURACTIV.cz.
The Czech government will discuss plans to phase out coal next week. A special coal commission already recommended in December to close down coal mines and power plants by 2038, but the final decision is up to the government.
However, the Czech governing cabinet formed by the ruling ANO party of Prime Minister Andrej Babiš and junior partner Social Democrats (ČSSD) is divided over this issue.