There will be no surprises in the division of roles in representing the Czech Republic abroad, as the PM and the new president want to preserve the existing practice and tradition. Photo credit: Petr Pavel, via Facebook.
Prague, Feb 28 (CTK) – After their one-hour meeting today, PM Petr Fiala told reporters that he had agreed with President-elect Petr Pavel on the future coordination of foreign policy, in particular that the head of government would continue to represent the Czech Republic in European bodies and the president at NATO summits.
Fiala (ODS) said he and Pavel had discussed the matters in which close cooperation between the heads of government and state was needed, and they had also agreed on their schedule of regular meetings.
“We have agreed on the method of foreign policy coordination, on how our teams will communicate and regular discussion will take place,” Fiala said.
There will be no surprises in the division of roles in representing the Czech Republic abroad, as the PM and the new president want to preserve the existing practice and tradition, Fiala said.
“This means that the prime minister will take part in talks within the European bodies and the president will attend NATO summits. It is important that we coordinate foreign policy in all respects. I think that we have set good mechanisms for that,” he said.
Fiala and Pavel also agreed on their regular monthly meetings, following the existing practice. The PM usually met outgoing President Milos Zeman roughly once a month.
“I think this is a reasonable time for us to regularly debate all important matters,” Fiala said.
They also discussed the approach of Pavel’s Presidential Office to government meetings.
“We agreed that an authorised representative of the Presidential Office should attend the government meetings. The previous tradition will thus continue,” Fiala said.
The prime minister said he respected that Pavel would comment on the government’s amendment to lower the extraordinary pension indexation only after his inauguration on 9 March.
