Tensions in Prague, after the speech in which the president of the Czech parliament denigrated Ukraine. The ambassador of Kiev went to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Tomio Okamura. Credit: MICHAL HANKO / News and Media / Profimedia
The foreign minister of the Czech Republic received on Monday the ambassador of Ukraine, who had criticized the New Year's speech given by the far-right president of the parliament in Prague, in which he denigrated war-ravaged Ukraine, reports AFP.
The tensions come just weeks after the installation of a government led by Czech billionaire Andrej Babis, which has raised questions about the outlook for relations between Prague and Brussels, as well as support for Kiev.
Babis's ANO movement, which won October's general election, allied with two Eurosceptic parties, the far-right SPD and the right-wing Drivers, to form a coalition government to replace the centre-right cabinet, which was pro-Ukraine.
The statement of the SPD leader and the reaction of the Ukrainian ambassador
SPD leader Tomio Okamura, who in November became the first far-right speaker in the history of the Czech parliament, called for an end to support for Ukraine in a New Year's message on X.
In his inflammatory speech, Okamura said Prague would no longer fund what he described as “war business” in the country invaded by Russian forces. He claims that these deals benefited “foreign companies and governments” as well as “Ukrainian thieves around the Zelenskiy junta”, whom he accused of abusing aid to “build golden toilets”.
“Let them steal, but not our money. And let's not allow such a country to be a member of the EU,” he also declared.
Ukrainian Ambassador Vasyl Zvarych criticized Okamura's “hateful” and “absolutely unacceptable” statements, stating that “his personal position was clearly formed under the influence of Russian propaganda”.
Czech Foreign Minister Petr Macinka said he met with the Ukrainian ambassador on Monday.
Macinka, the chairman of the Drivers' party, said they “reflected on the feelings of a part of Czech society” and that the meeting took place in a “serious atmosphere”. He said he would call his Ukrainian counterpart, Andrii Sybiha, on the matter on Tuesday.
Also on Monday, Prime Minister Babis dismissed Okamura's claims, which he described as a speech “addressed mainly to his constituents”. He later said that the Ukrainian ambassador had “no right to lecture us.”
Babis will travel to Paris on Tuesday for the meeting of the Coalition of the Will, which supports Ukraine.
