Members of the national committee of the Mayors and Independents movement have elected a candidate for the position of Minister of Industry and Trade. They will nominate MP and 1st Deputy Chairman of the movement Lukáš Vlček to head the ministry. He will thus take over the office from Jozef Sikel, who was nominated by the government as a candidate for European Commissioner.
Vlček has long been involved in economic policy, and he also participated in the preparation of a new economic strategy for the Czech Republic, consulted both with the regions and with regional partners, which analyses the strengths and weaknesses of the domestic economy and comes up with proposals on how to improve them. These include investments in innovation, education, infrastructure, measures to reduce bureaucracy and streamline regulation.
"I'm getting on a moving train and we have a lot of important steps ahead of us. These include finalizing the contract with the winner of the tender for the construction of new nuclear units or the issue of gas imports. However, I certainly do not want to see my time at the head of the Ministry of Industry and Trade as a space to just finish something. My vision is much more varied and extends into the next term of office. I can mention, for example, the modernisation of transmission and distribution systems, measures to support business in the form of another anti-bureaucratic package, the implementation of major investments such as Onsemi, or changing building standards to make them fit for the 21st century and to speed up housing construction. And I do not want to forget the Economic Strategy, which I have been heavily involved in developing over the last six months. I will also focus on tackling monopolies and oligopolies." Vlček summarised his plans, which also include the completion of a trio of strategic and interconnected documents, i.e. the State Energy Concept, the National Energy and Climate Plan and the Climate Protection Policy.
"I know Lukáš Vlček well thanks to our intensive cooperation during my entire tenure at the ministry. I have got to know him as a politician who excels in hard work, which I think is exactly the approach this ministry needs," said the candidate for European Commissioner and current Minister of Industry and Trade Jozef Síkela.
"Lukáš Vlček is well acquainted with the MIT agenda thanks to his long-term cooperation with Jozef Sikela and his colleagues, so work on this important ministry will not stop for a moment. And that is good, because important things will not wait. For example, the new economic strategy for the Czech Republic, which Lukáš participated in the preparation of and whose goal is to put the Czech Republic among the top economies of the EU. I have already informed Prime Minister Fiala about the decision of the National Committee, and the next steps will take place after agreement with him and the President." commented on the decision of the national committee of the Mayors Vít Austrian.
Ing. Lukáš Vlček (*1982)
- graduate of Masaryk University
- 2006-2021 City of Pacov / Mayor
- Winner of the Best Mayor 2014-2018 in the Vysočina Region
- project and financial management of investments, projects implemented for more than CZK 2 billion, leadership and personnel management
- implementation of projects in the fields of education, environment, infrastructure, energy, housing and business
- Czech Architecture Award, Municipal Project of the Year and others
- 2020-2021 Vysočina Region / Deputy Minister for Environment and Agriculture
- waste management and water management, forestry and agriculture, environment and environmental protection
- from 2021 Chamber of Deputies of the Parliament of the Czech Republic / deputy
- Chairman of the Standing Committee on Hybrid Threats, member of the Committee on Budgets and the Committee on the Environment
- work on the Programme Statement of the Government of the Czech Republic in the chapters of local development, energy and environment
- work on the Czech Economic Strategy, legislation on municipal cooperation, technical environmental issues, public finance consolidation or the state budget
- organisation of expert seminars and conferences on energy, hybrid threats or construction
- from 2023 ČEPS, a.s. / Member of the Supervisory Board - operation, development and maintenance of the power transmission system in the Czech Republic.
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