"We will strive to implement our plans with Azerbaijan; what we say will not remain just words."
On April 27, during his official visit to Azerbaijan, the Prime Minister of the Czech Republic, Andrej Babiš, gave an interview to the APA Information Agency, Azerbaijan Television, and APA TV.
APA presents the interview:
It is a great honor for me to be in Azerbaijan
– Mr. Prime Minister, first of all, thank you for taking the time to speak with us. Your decision to visit Azerbaijan as your first destination after the European Union countries is of particular significance. How would you assess the current state of bilateral relations between the Czech Republic and Azerbaijan, as well as their medium and long-term development prospects?
– Thank you very much for your kind words. It is a great honor for me to be here, because I met your esteemed President, Ilham Aliyev, in Budapest, and then we met again in Davos. This is now the third time we are meeting. We spent half a day together, and it is remarkable how important Azerbaijan is—how strategic a country you are for the Czech Republic, as well as for other leaders. President Zelenskyy has been here, the President of Latvia has been here, and Giorgia Meloni is expected to come. Your President is very active internationally, and I have a very friendly relationship with him. We discussed very concrete areas of cooperation.
I know that everyone is interested in Azerbaijani gas
Azerbaijan is the main supplier of crude oil to the Czech Republic and covers 42 percent of our consumption. We have also come to Azerbaijan to address the issue of natural gas. I know that everyone is interested in Azerbaijani gas, and this is also very important for us. We came with our semi-state company ČEZ, which is interested in purchasing Azerbaijani gas on a long-term basis. Perhaps we can find different approaches in this area and explore opportunities to increase mutual investments.
Europe is currently facing certain difficulties, particularly due to some energy policies that negatively affect industry. In the context of the current geopolitical situation, the energy issue is even more important for us.
At the same time, we have come to cooperate in the field of the defense industry as well. The Czechoslovak Group is already operating in Azerbaijan and has established a joint venture. We are also here with the arms manufacturer Colt, the company Aero Vodochody and its L-39NG aircraft proposals, as well as the state-owned company Explosia. All these companies offer joint projects and cooperation. There are already specific projects, but we can do more.
In addition, we are trying to obtain contracts for the Baku Metro and tram projects. Škoda Transportation is one of our main companies in this field and is part of the PPF Group, one of the major economic groups of the Czech Republic. Historically, Czechoslovakia was one of the 10 most industrialized countries in the world, and today we still have many opportunities to offer.
Your President proposed the creation of a working group on economic cooperation, and we have raised it to the ministerial level. From our side, First Deputy Prime Minister Karel Havlíček will lead the process, and from your side, the Minister of Energy will participate. I have invited your President to our country and we are looking forward to his visit.
We discussed investment opportunities in the airport in Karlovy Vary
– At the beginning of this year, you met the President of Azerbaijan, Ilham Aliyev, at the Davos Economic Forum, and today you held talks in Gabala. After these meetings, what are the prospects for activating relations at a high level? Can we expect further intensification of high-level mutual visits and contacts between the two countries?
– Of course. We agreed that my First Deputy will visit Azerbaijan again this year. We also discussed investment opportunities in the airport in Karlovy Vary. I know that people from Azerbaijan and Central Asia frequently visit this city for medical tourism. We want to further develop tourism by increasing investments in this area.
There are many topics to be discussed, and we have developed very good personal relations with the President of Azerbaijan.
– You mentioned defense, transport, agriculture, and tourism as priority areas at the business forum. Can you elaborate on the importance of these areas? Also, how do you assess the role of the Intergovernmental Commission?
– We hope that this commission will start operating soon. From our side, Karel Havlíček will lead it, and from the Azerbaijani side, Mikayil Jabbarov will head the commission. One of the main issues facing all countries in the world is food security. We can cooperate in this area as well. At the same time, there are opportunities for cooperation in healthcare. We pay great attention to the prevention of oncological and cardiovascular diseases, as well as children’s mental health. In general, there are many topics to discuss, and we have very good personal relations with the President of Azerbaijan.
– How do you assess the role of the Joint Declaration on Strategic Partnership signed in 2015?
– We need to further develop this document. The most important thing is to turn words into real results. This is sometimes difficult, but we will try to implement it. What we say will not remain just words; it will turn into real projects.
We support increasing alternative supply sources
– What are your views on cooperation in the energy sector, particularly regarding renewable energy?
– Europe talks more about renewable energy. However, it is not possible to produce all industrial products using only wind and solar energy. Oil and gas are also important. High energy prices in Europe negatively affect the competitiveness of industry. We support increasing alternative supply sources.
Azerbaijan is a strategic country in terms of access to Central Asia
– In which areas outside the energy sector is the cooperation potential greater?
– Central Asian countries are very important for us. Azerbaijan is a strategic country in terms of access to this region. Tomorrow we will visit Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan. We have long-term relations with this region and intend to increase trade turnover.
The normalization process between Azerbaijan and Armenia pleases us
– How do you assess the normalization of relations between Azerbaijan and Armenia?
– This process pleases us. The normalization of relations and the reduction of tensions in the region are positive developments, and we support them.
We intend to explore investment opportunities in the liberated territories
– Is it possible for Czech companies to participate in “smart city” and “smart village” projects in the liberated territories?
– Yes, we discussed this issue with the President of Azerbaijan, and we are ready to participate in these projects. We intend to explore investment opportunities in these territories.
– Thank you very much, Mr. Prime Minister. It was a great honor for us to hear your views. We wish you success.
– Thank you. I wish the people of Azerbaijan success, health, and prosperity. I am confident that friendly relations between our peoples will continue.
Photo - Rufat Mustafayev © APAGROUP
