Ceske Budejovice, South Bohemia, Aug 24 (CTK) – Czech President Milos Zeman said on Thursday that his office would have to lease the third plane for his autumn visit to Russia since so many businesspeople would accompany him.
Along with businesspeople from the industry sector, a number of those running business in agriculture have expressed interest in going to Russia, he added.
“So many businesspeople, including those from the agriculture sector, have applied for the trip that they will fill three planes, so we have to lease the third plane from Travel Service,” Zeman said in Ceske Budejovice where he opened the annual agricultural exhibition.
Zeman has long criticised the EU sanctions against Russia. He says they do not work and they harm both the Czech agriculture and industry.
“These businesspeople might be Vladimir Putin’s agents as some simple-minded journalists would put it. However, those are actually the people like me who want to trade and find new opportunities,” Zeman added.
He pointed out that he and Senate chairman Milan Stech (senior government Social Democrats, CSSD) had protested against the sanctions during the Zeme Zivitelka exhibition’s opening last year.
Zeman was invited to Russia by his Russian counterpart Putin.
Before the visit, Zeman is to deliver a speech at the Council of Europe Parliamentary Assembly in Strasbourg.
Moscow imposed a ban on the import of some European food products in reaction to the EU sanctions after Russia’s annexation of Crimea.
