Press Advisories

4. 11. 202014:49

Prime Minister Babiš discussed coronavirus with Minister President of Bavaria Söder

On Wednesday, 4 November 2020, Prime Minister Andrej Babiš had a videoconference with Minister President of Bavaria Markus Söder to discuss the coronavirus pandemic.

The Czech Republic’s priority is to keep the border with Bavaria open and ensure cross-border economic activity carries on. That makes it necessary to adopt preventive measures in the form of tests, which are free of charge for Czech workers commuting to Bavaria.

”The Minister President and I were already in constant touch during the first wave. Back then we discussed medical material. We also talked about how Bavaria needed our cross-border commuters to keep going to work, so this cooperation has worked well and proved useful during the first wave. And today we said that Bavaria is coping with the second wave very well and our shared priority is to keep the borders open and maintain cross-border economic activities,” said Andrej Babiš.

During the meeting, Minister President Söder confirmed the offer of beds in Bavarian hospitals for Czech patients, if required. The Czech Republic offered reciprocal assistance.

“We spoke about solidarity, so I would like to thank the Minister President for saying that the Bavarian side would reserve 100 intensive care beds if we need them. We hope that we will cope, but it’s important for us. I am very grateful for this display of solidarity. It’s a generous gesture and I want to confirm that we will be glad to reciprocate if Bavaria needs anything,” the Czech prime minister said.

The premiers also discussed security and current developments in Europe.  “We spoke about European problems. I think Islamic terrorism is a big problem. In the European Council we are discussing a new migration system and I relayed to the Minister President the V4 position that we have to stop illegal migration. We can’t say that we accept it and that everyone who arrives on European soil illegally will be able to move freely here. That is absolutely unacceptable,” Prime Minister Babiš added.

Andřej Babiš invited Markus Söder to visit the Czech Republic to discuss important long-term issues. In the context of Czech-Bavarian cooperation this means railway modernisation, for example. In addition, this year the Ministry of Industry and Trade of the Czech Republic and its Czech counterpart signed a declaration of intent to build a 5G corridor between Prague and Munich that will be a new pillar of cooperation.