Government approves report on president’s attendance of Rhodes conference

The government has approved a report summarizing President Miloš Zeman’s attendance of the Rhodes Forum, organized by Vladimir Yakunin, a close associate of Vladimir Putin, at the end of September. Approval by the cabinet was delayed since last week when several ministers were reportedly absent; human rights minister Jiří Dienstbier, who was critical of the president’s attendance, had requested the visit be discussed at the cabinet level. In his view, President Zeman symbolically cast doubt on the Czech Republic and the EU’s resolve in the face of Russian aggression. Deputy Prime Minister Pavel Bělobrádek said that discussed was whether the president’s trip had been in line with the Czech Republic’s foreign policy. The Office of the President said the journey has cost 300, 000 crowns (around 11,000 euros).

Author: Jan Velinger