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Czech Parliamentary Delegation in Australia

After the successful completion of their program in New Zealand, the Foreign Committee of the Chamber of Deputies of the Parliament of the Czech Republic, led by Deputy Speaker Vojtěch Pikal, continued to Australia. Political meetings took place in Hobart and Canberra as part of the trip. The delegation also gathered with ex-pats in order to celebrate the Anniversary of the 17th November.
 

Developing bilateral relations, the Pilot Work and Holiday program and security and economic issues were amongst the main talking points of the meetings.

The program of the visit began on Friday 22nd November with a meeting with the Governor of Tasmania, Kate Warner, who welcomed the delegation in her historical residence in the Royal Botanic Gardens in Hobart. As an introduction she acknowledged cooperation during preparations for the opening of an Australian pavilion in Prague Zoo (which is planned to be opened during the first half of next year) and together with her husband brought attention to the area of agriculture, which has a strong tradition in Tasmania and offers considerable potential for cooperation.

After this meeting, the delegation met with Czech ex-pats in the Royal Botanic Gardens and enjoyed a reception commemorating the 30th Anniversary of the Velvet Revolution which was organised by Honorary Consul in Tasmania, Milena Mills, in collaboration with the Czech Embassy. The anniversary of the Velvet Revolution was one of the main reasons for the parliamentary delegation’s visit. For that reason the delegation took part in another reception in Launceston, which was attended by over 50 ex-pats and a range of politicians. The event was held at the vineyard of prominent Tasmanian entrepreneur of Czech origin, Josef Chromy.

The Sunday program carried on in the same spirit with a meeting between the Czech delegation, MPs and Senators of the Australian Parliament and representatives of the Czech community in Australia, at the Embassy in Canberra. An exhibition about the events of 1989 was also opened during the event (see article https://www.mzv.cz/canberra/en/news_events/jjj.html)

Members of the parliamentary delegation were not the only ones to commemorate the Anniversary of the Velvet Revolution. Community groups from various corners of Australia and New Zealand also celebrated the anniversary. The community club in Tauranga, New Zealand, screened the film “Eights“, and in Western Australia, the film “Citizen Havel” was showed.

On Monday 25th November the program continued in the Australian capital city, Canberra, with all-day meetings at the Australian Parliament. Czech MPs met with the initiator of the Parliamentary Friends of the Czech Republic group, Rick Wilson, as well as with members of the Committee on Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade, with the Minister of Trade, Tourism and Investment, Simon Birmingham, and finally with the Speakers of both chambers of Parliament, Scott Ryan and Tony Smith.

 

Members of the delegation of the Chamber of Deputies of the Parliament of the Czech Republic:

Vojtěch Pikal - Deputy Speaker of Chamber of Deputies of the Parliament of the Czech Republic, Head of the Delegation 

Ondřej Veselý - Chairman of the Committee on Foreign Affairs 

Jaroslav Bžoch - Vice-chairman of the Committee on Foreign Affairs 

Marek Benda - Member of the Committee on Foreign Affairs 

Vít Rakušan - Member of the Committee on Foreign Affairs 

Veronika Cihelková - Chief Secretary of the Committee on Foreign Affairs 

Jitka Lipenská - International Relations

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Parliamentary Delegation in Australia