PRAGUE - After three years, the Czech and Slovak governments will hold a joint meeting on Tuesday. The intergovernmental consultations, which in the past were a symbol of the above-standard relations between the two countries, were last held in March 2023. They were subsequently suspended by the then government led by Prime Minister Petr Fiala due to differences in foreign policy. The meeting of the ministers of the two cabinets will take place at the Nová Horka castle in the Novojičín region. According to the official programme, the meeting will start at 11:30 and will be followed by a press conference scheduled for 14:00. The main topics are expected to be not only foreign policy issues, but also economic cooperation, energy and transport infrastructure.
The resumption of joint consultations is seen as an important step towards calming relations between the two countries. These have been marked in recent years by divergent views on key international issues, including the approach to the war in Ukraine and some of the European Union's decisions. However, political analysts point out that despite these differences, relations between Prague and Bratislava remain stable and historically very close. There is a long tradition of joint negotiations between governments dating back to the period after the division of Czechoslovakia in 1993. The regular meetings were aimed at coordinating the progress of both countries in a number of areas and strengthening mutual cooperation.
Their discontinuation in 2024 has therefore attracted attention not only in political circles but also among the public.
Analysts agree that the resumption of dialogue can contribute to improving communication and finding common positions within the European Union and other international structures. At the same time, however, they point out that the differences in the political priorities of the two governments have not completely disappeared and will continue to be the subject of negotiations. Tuesday's meeting will therefore not only be a symbolic return to a traditional form of cooperation, but also a test of the ability of the two governments to find a compromise on issues that have divided them in recent years. The results of the negotiations and concrete agreements are expected to be presented to the public at a press conference this afternoon.
gnews.cz - GH
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