Press Advisories

20. 7. 201011:40

Petr Nečas makes first foreign trip

Petr Nečas honours the tradition of Czech prime ministers by making Slovakia the destination for his first foreign trip

In Bratislava he was welcomed by Slovak Prime Minister Iveta Radičová. The bilateral talks between the two leaders mainly concerned economic cooperation, energy security, and cooperation both at the regional level and within the framework of the EU.

Petr Nečas also agreed with Iveta Radičová about the need for fiscal responsibility on the part of both governments. "This year we have managed to synchronise the political cycles of our two countries, so that the duties of government in both Prague and Bratislava are now in the hands of politicians who have similar programme priorities, and who face similar problems, especially in their efforts to consolidate public finances and to implement necessary reforms," said Prime Minister Nečas.

Both prime ministers agreed on the need for more intensive and regular informal meetings, which could take place, for example, in Moravia. Such meetings are necessary, they said, mainly in the interest of improving the exchange of information and coordinating issues in relation to the economy. "We are facing the same challenges and the same problems," the Czech Prime Minister said after the meeting.

At a joint press briefing, he also expressed understanding for Slovakia's stance with regard to certain steps taken by Hungary.

Slovak Prime Minister Iveta Radičová was appointed head of government based on the outcome of the Slovak parliamentary elections at the beginning of July this year. Originally a sociologist by profession, Radičová is a member of the Slovak Democratic and Christian Union - Democratic Party.

In the Slovak Republic, Petr Nečas still has ahead of him a meeting with Slovak President Ivan Gašparovič and the Speaker of the Slovak National Council Richard Sulík, before heading on to Budapest, where tomorrow a plenary session of the representatives of the countries of the Visegrad Group is to be held.