January 30, 2025
Arnall Golden Gregory
Ambassador Miloslav Stasek is no stranger to Atlanta. The Czech envoy, who took up his post in 2022, has visited the city at least five times, speaking to think tanks, trading insights with academics, opening art exhibitions and introducing Czech wine to new consumers.
This trip, he joined Global Atlanta for a breakfast briefing to outline how the Czech Republic, a country of 10 million in what he calls “the industrial heartland” of Europe, is positioning itself for a central role in the bloc’s future.
Fresh off attending the U.S. presidential inauguration — the only Czech in the Capitol after the ceremony was moved indoors— Mr. Stasek said that while blanket tariffs could be harmful, he remained optimistic that Europe can reach a deal with the Trump administration. Closely tied to Germany’s struggling economy, the Czech Republic is part of a Central European “automotive belt” that has complementary strengths to Georgia in terms of technically skilled workers and supportive governments, though he admitted that bureaucracy can be a problem when it comes to procurement.
On defense, he said, the Czech Republic is meeting its NATO spending obligations, hosting a total of Ukrainian refugees equivalent to the U.S. welcoming 15 million people on a per capita basis, and making a wholesale switch from Russian fossil fuels to other sources, including U.S. liquefied natural gas.
He welcomed Georgia companies to three industrial fairs happening this year, particularly in Brno, noting that he and Honorary Consul Monika Vintrlikova would roll out the red carpet. A key goal is to offer a Georgia Pavilion at the MSV Engineering Fair in October.
A panel discussion featured PJ Bain, CEO of Atlanta-based Prime Revenue, who said its EMEA headquarters in Prague has offered a lot of advantages — including the ability to attract young, multilingual European Union talent and keep a pulse on supply chain activity in Europe that the company’s platform helps fund.
A variety of companies — either Czech-origin firms like PBS Aerospace, which a week after the event launched a major Georgia expansion, and Athens-based Ventus — chimed in from the audience to share experiences doing business in the Czech Republic and plans for future engagement.
All agreed: Atlanta needs to restore a nonstop flight to Prague, which the ambassador said is a key objective as the world’s fourth-safest country with 16 million tourist arrivals per year. Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport already has a sister-airport agreement with Prague. Such a flight could help with sports diplomacy, as Atlanta is home to the only Czech NBA player (Vít Krejčí of the Atlanta Hawks) and will host the FIFA World Cup in 2026.
Ladislav Chodák, president of the Brno Regional Chamber of Commerce, was also in attendance, standing ready to field inquiries in the South Moravian tech hub and its incubator, the JIC.
For her part, Ms. Vintrlikova, the honorary consul, shared plans to open an incubator for Czech companies in Peachtree Corners at the Atlanta Technology Park, where the consulate recently moved its offices. The event will be held March 12.
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