The Czech ambassador will return to Cuba after more than twenty years
Within a few months, the Czech Republic will significantly increase its relations with Cuba and will have ambassadors in the country after years. Foreign Minister Lubomír Zaorálek (ČSSD) said this at a conference on economic diplomacy, according to which the matter is about to fall. Relations between the two countries have been strained for years, also because Prague has harshly criticized human rights violations in Cuba. But lately, they have been released. Mutual diplomatic representation is now at the level of chargé d’affaires.
“It will be months, for example, the agreement is actually on both sides, we also have the assurance of the Cuban side that there is interest in it,” Zaorálek estimated the time horizon of the change. “We have even decided on our part, even in terms of such details as personnel and the like. So we are quite far away, I think it is about to fall and that it will be soon, “he also remarked.
After the revolution in 1989, the Czechia was one of the harshest critics of the communist regime in Cuba, which in 1993 led to a reduction in the Czech representation in Cuba to the level of chargé d’affaires. Prague also strongly supported the sanctions temporarily imposed on Cuba in 2003 following the crackdown on dissidents.
The attitude of the Czech Republic provoked a number of reactions from the Cuban authorities, for example, Prague was considered a “marching footman of the United States” and a “climber of Washington”. A more significant diplomatic conflict occurred in January 2001, when the Cuban authorities detained MP Ivan Pilip and former student leader Jan Bubeník for almost four weeks. Four years later, they deported senator and later diplomacy Karel Schwarzenberg, who arrived at a meeting organized by dissidents.
The first business mission
The current coalition government of the Social Democracy, the YES movement and the People’s Party is trying to change relations with Cuba. Last year, the first business mission in modern history and the square of Foreign Minister Martin Tlapa headed to Cuba from the Czech Republic. At the same time, both sides agree to expand the dialogue in the areas of trade, culture, science or education.
In 2014, Czech exports to the island country reached 602 million crowns. The most frequently exported goods include malt, condensed milk, turbines and motorcycles. On the other hand, goods worth 316 million crowns were imported – most often alcohol, cigars, medicines and coffee. In the era of socialism, the trade of both countries was many times higher.