Prague, April 27 (CTK) – Czech Prime Minister Bohuslav Sobotka will meet Bavarian Minister President Horst Seehofer in Prague on May 3 to discuss transport modernisation, economy, cooperation in science, research and education, and also cultural exchange, the Government Office told ČTK yesterday.
Sobotka (Social Democrats, CSSD) wants to discuss a deepening of economic relations with Seehofer (Christian Social Union, CSU), because Bavaria is the Czech Republic’s biggest trade partner of all German lands.
Furthermore, they will discuss railways, since both sides are interested in modernising the track connecting Prague with Munich.
Seehofer will also meet Pavel Belobradek, Czech deputy PM for science, research and innovations, Culture Minister Daniel Herman, Agriculture Minister Marian Jurecka (all Christian Democrats, KDU-CSL) and Chamber of Deputies chairman Jan Hamacek (CSSD).
For many decades in the past, the Czech Republic and Bavaria differed on the post-war events including the transfer of ethnic Germans from Czechoslovakia, mainly its border zones (Sudetenland).
Most of the deportees settled in Bavaria whose minister president has been the patron of Sudeten Germans.
Finally, bilateral diplomatic relations were unfrozen by Seehofer’s official visit to Prague in 2010.
At present, relations between Prague and Munich are good and mutual visits by the Czech and Bavarian leaders take place annually.
Sobotka paid his last official visit to Munich in March 2016. He also met Seehofer last May and October at the ceremonial opening of the Czech and Bavarian parts of an exhibition marking the 700th birth anniversary of Charles IV, the Holy Roman Emperor and King of Bohemia from the Luxembourg dynasty.
