Federal President Alexander Van der Bellen paid a farewell visit to his Czech counterpart Milos Zeman in Prague on Thursday. He did not skimp on flattering words and described the Czech capital as “the most beautiful city in Europe”. As expected, the content of the visit was determined by the war in Ukraine.
Van der Bellen and Zeman agreed that Russian aggression is a flagrant violation of international law and that a country’s military neutrality does not equate to indifference. Zeman, who led the Czech Republic as head of government in NATO in 1999, praised Austria’s neutrality in this regard. “Sometimes a neutral status can be beneficial. A neutral country can play a mediating role, while a non-neutral country cannot,” said the Czech head of state, who left office on March 8 at the age of 78 after serving two five-year terms.
“Completely conflict-free and friendly” despite the nuclear dispute
Zeman and Van der Bellen described Austro-Czech relations as “entirely conflict-free and friendly”, even though there are different views on nuclear power. “Friends should discuss and not create conflict from different attitudes,” Zeman stressed. Van der Bellen points out that Austria decided decades ago not to operate nuclear reactors. The nuclear power plants in neighboring countries are “not the issues that divide us”, but an exchange of information is necessary, according to the Federal President.
Room for improvement in highway connections
The heads of state also discussed bilateral cooperation and stressed the importance of cross-border infrastructure projects. However, they complained that when, for example, the highway links between the two countries are built, while there are repeated assurances that everything will be completed soon, the reality lags behind, Zeman said.
White Lion First Class
Van der Bellen was pleased with the many Czech tourists in Austria and expressed the wish that guests “feel at home with us”. The two presidents, who addressed each other as “dear Sascha” and “dear Milos”, presented each other with their country’s highest medals. While the Federal President was awarded the Czech Order of the White Lion, first class, Zeman received the Decoration of Honor for Services to the Republic of Austria.
On March 9, ex-Chief of the General Staff Pavel takes over
Van der Bellen also had meetings with other Czech politicians on Thursday, most notably Zeman’s successor, former chief of staff Petr Pavel. The retired army general will assume the presidency on March 9.
Source: Krone
I am Ida Scott, a journalist and content author with a passion for uncovering the truth. I have been writing professionally for Today Times Live since 2020 and specialize in political news. My career began when I was just 17; I had already developed a knack for research and an eye for detail which made me stand out from my peers.
