He will attend memorial events and high-level talks in Berlin. Expect discussions on extending the Czech-German Future Fund and commemorating wartime victims.
On the occasion of the anniversary of the end of World War II in Europe, the Czech Republic’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Petr Mačinka, will travel to Berlin.
This was announced by the Czech Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Mačinka expressed his gratitude for the invitation from his German colleague Johanna Wadeful to visit the capital of the FRG on this very day.
“This is an important gesture that goes beyond ordinary diplomacy.”
– Petr Mačinka
Context of the visit and expected results
It is expected that the foreign ministers of the two countries will approve a memorandum extending the Czech-German Future Fund’s activities to 2037.
The document will come into force next year, when both countries will mark the 30th anniversary of signing the Czech-German Declaration. Since its inception, the fund has helped strengthen the ties between the societies of both countries and aids in reflecting on their shared past.
Additionally, Mačinka, together with the head of the Czech-German Discussion Forum Jörg Nürnberger, will pay tribute to the memory of 677 Czech patriots who were executed near the Plötzensee Memorial, where a prison operated during the Nazi regime.
In Berlin, the Czech Foreign Minister will meet with Armin Laschet, the head of the Bundestag’s Committee on Foreign Affairs.
This is the first visit by the head of the Czech Foreign Ministry to Germany in this role.
The current government of the Czech Republic began its term in December of last year.
Overall, this visit underscores Prague’s commitment to maintaining an active bilateral dialogue with Germany and to promoting strengthened historical memory between the peoples.