Prague, May 3 (CTK) – Issues related to migration, cross-border cooperation and bilateral projects were on the agenda of a meeting of Czech Senate chairman Milan Stech and Bavarian Prime Minister Horst Seehofer in Prague on Wednesday, Senate spokeswoman Eva Davidova has told CTK.
On his visit to Prague, Seehofer (Christian Social Union, CSU) also met Czech Prime Minister Bohuslav Sobotka (Social Democrats, CSSD) and Deputy Prime Minister for Science Pavel Belobradek (Christian Democrats, KDU-CSL).
Stech (CSSD) said he believes that the relevant key infrastructure now under construction, including a modernised railway line between Prague and Munich, will be completed soon.
Sobotka said the Czech Republic plans to invest in the modernisation of the railway connections between the city of Plzen and the Czech-German border in 2019-2024.
During the rule of the current Czech government, Sobotka and Seehofer have met for the sixth time. On Wednesday, they also talked about bilateral trade, cooperation in research and digitisation, and the first year of the Czech-German strategic dialogue.
Belobradek praised progress in science and research exchange between the Czech Republic and Germany, especially Bavaria and Saxony.
He said the German Fraunhofer Society for the Advancement of Applied Research might have a seat in the Czech Republic, possibly in the city of Brno that has a very good tradition and very good infrastructure.
Davidova said Stech and Seehofer share a similar position on migration.
Stech previously repeatedly emphasised the need to solve the causes of the migrant crisis, reinforce the protection of the EU outer border and consistently discern between refugees and economic migrants.
Two weeks ago, he said Hungary’s widely criticised decision to detain migrants at the border is an acceptable step aimed to ensure the safety of Hungary’s population.
Stech and Seehofer expressed their conviction that the recent very good development of Czech-Bavarian relations in the areas of economy and cross-border cooperation will continue.
Stech thanked Seehofer for his personal support for the cross-border projects.
Czech Industry Minister Jiri Havlicek and Bavarian Economy Minister Ilse Aigner also met on Wednesday. Havlicek said after the talks that Bavaria is an inspiring example for Czechs in the field of digitisation of industry.
