Press Advisories

17. 5. 2022 16:16

Prime Minister Fiala and Austrian Chancellor Nehammer talk co-operation on energy security

The topic of the meeting between the Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala and the Austrian Chancellor Karl Nehammer was mainly the consequences of the Russian aggression in Ukraine, 17 May 2022.
The topic of the meeting between the Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala and the Austrian Chancellor Karl Nehammer was mainly the consequences of the Russian aggression in Ukraine, 17 May 2022.
On 17 May 2022, Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala met with Austrian Chancellor Karl Nehammer at the Kramář’s Villa, the Czech PM’s official residence. The main topics of the meeting included the impacts of the Russian aggression in Ukraine, energy security, preparations for the Czech EU Presidency and bilateral co-operation between the two countries.

Both leaders agreed that it is necessary to co-operate in ensuring energy security and reducing dependence on Russia. “We discussed the issue of oil and gas. I very much appreciate the fact that the Chancellor is ready to support our efforts to expand the TAL pipeline from his position so that we will have sufficient oil capacity in the future in case oil from Russia cannot be used by the Czech Republic for any reason,” said the Czech Prime Minister.

The possibility of reducing dependence on Russian gas, which reaches 95 percent for the Czech Republic, was another topic. “We agreed it is necessary to co-operate with countries that can expand capacity and build new LNG terminals and to increase the capacity of pipelines that bring gas to our countries,” Fiala said.

The statesmen also discussed the integration of the Western Balkan countries into the EU. “This is in the interest of both our countries. This is also an important topic for the Czech Republic because our Presidency of the Council of the EU is approaching and it is one of the topics that we will certainly address. I welcome the great commitment of Austria and Chancellor Nehammer personally in this matter,” said the Czech Prime Minister.

Co-operation in the field of transport infrastructure was another important point of the meeting. There is mutual interest in the early completion of the D3 motorway from České Budějovice to Linz, the D52 motorway project from Brno to Vienna and the high-speed Vienna – Prague – Berlin railway line.

“We agreed that our relations are excellent, but that we see room for their intensification, for example, through greater co-operation in the field of research, universities and education,” Fiala added.

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