Press Advisories

8. 11. 201918:17

Prime Minister Babiš visits Luxembourg for talks with the Prime Minister and the Grand Duke, and he pays tribute to Jan Palach

On Thursday 7 and Friday 8 November 2019 the Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babiš and his wife Monika visited Luxembourg. During this official visit the Czech Prime Minister met the Grand Duke of Luxembourg, had talks with Prime Minister Xavier Bettel, and visited the European Court of Auditors.

On Thursday 7 November Prime Minister Andrej Babiš met the Prime Minister of Luxembourg Xavier Bettel, where they chiefly discussed the multiannual financial framework and other European topics, migration and greater cooperation between the Visegrád Group and Benelux.

“We share the same opinion of the future European budget, for instance we’re opposed to the so-called rebates – some member states have historical advantages, which we don’t like,” Prime Minister Babiš said after the meeting. “Incidentally Luxembourg’s Prime Minister was the only one from the older member states who visited us last year for Czechoslovakia’s 100^th anniversary. I can call us friends. Luxembourg may only be a small country, but it’s an influential one,” the Prime Minister said.

On Friday 8 November the Czech Prime Minister visited the European Court of Auditors, where he met its President, Klaus-Heiner Lehne, and Jan Gregor, the member for the Czech Republic. The main topics they talked about included the EU’s long-term budget and the powers of the European Court of Auditors.

“The European Court of Auditors is an important institution, which we on the European Council don’t always realise. We should make more use of its information. In particular it points out the savings we could achieve in European structures, such as the expenses for the European Parliament and the European Commission. Vast amounts of money could be saved,” the Czech Prime Minister said.

On Friday Andrej Babiš was received by Grand Duke Henri of Luxembourg. He also visited parliament, where he talked about development aid, migration and the climate with members of the Chamberbüro and the Committee for International and European Affairs.

With Luxembourg’s Prime Minister and the Mayor of Luxembourg City, Lydie Polfer, the Prime Minister visited a plaque commemorating Jan Palach in the square named after him, and in Notre-Dame Cathedral he laid a wreath in the crypt holding the remains of King John of Bohemia.