Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala expressed his concerns regarding the actions undertaken by the United States, stating that these measures adversely affect every citizen of the Czech Republic and underscoring that the government cannot remain passive in this matter. He characterised US President Donald Trump‘s tariffs as regrettable and misguided.
While he does not foresee a direct impact on the Czech Republic, he cautioned that the indirect effects could be substantial.
Prime Minister Fiala highlighted that Europe is prepared to negotiate with the United States, but at the same time, it is ready to give a clear answer.
“We did not instigate this trade conflict,” said PM Fiala. “The actions of the American government harm every citizen of the Czech Republic, and we cannot remain silent regarding this issue.” He further declared that the most effective tariffs are those that are zero.
Fiala indicated that the complete structure of the proposed tariffs is not yet fully defined, which complicates the capacity to quantify their impacts accurately. In an interview with Deník.cz, he projected that the repercussions on economic growth in Europe, including the Czech Republic, may be limited to a few tenths of a percent.
“The best tariffs are zero tariffs,” the Czech Prime Minister posted on X. Fiala supports free trade, advocates for minimising barriers and, where feasible, eliminating tariffs. Furthermore, he opined that should the United States persist in its isolationist approach, it would have a demonstrably adverse effect on global trade and overall prosperity.