Czech ForMin backs embassy in Kyiv which Zeman criticised
The ministry´s spokeswoman Johana Grohova said the ministry has no trustworthy information that would challenge the work of the embassy.
Zeman said on Saturday he is deeply dissatisfied with the embassy´s work in connection with the Volhynain Czechs. He said the embassy does not have a good attitude towards them.
Czech ambassador to Ukraine Ivan Pocuch told iDENS.cz server he only learnt about the repatriation applications from media and meetings with Czech representatives.
Until then the expatriates´ associations did not inform him about the repatriation plans, Pocuch said.
“I am sorry to hear the criticism by the president because I honestly worked on te development of relations with and support for the expatriate associations´ activities,” the server quoted Pocuch as saying.
The Foreign Ministry said today if there were any information about the embassy´s mistakes and if it were confirmed, it would take corresponding steps. It added it closely monitors the situation in Ukraine.
Grohova said Foreign Minister Lubomir Zaoralek visited Ukraine last week and he also met Czech expatriates.
“Today Deputy Foreign Minister Rudolf Jindrak will have meetings in Lviv together with foreign affairs state secretaries and deputy foreign ministers of the V4 countries and Ukraine with representatives of self-rule authorities and NGOs.
The V4 is comprised of Hungary, Poland, Slovakia and the Czech Republic.
Next week, First Deputy Foreign Minister Petr Drulak will discuss the situation in Ukraine within bilateral consultations with Polish partners, Grohova said.
Zeman supported last month a repatriation application by 40 families from the Zhytomyr Region, who turned to Czech representatives last March in connection with the eruption of the Russian-Ukrainian conflict over Crimea.
Now, the application has been joined by more than 70 families, allegedly including both Volhynian Czechs from the west of Ukraine who asked for repatriation twice in March and expatriates from the fighting-stricken east of the country and Crimea, which Russia annexed in the spring.
Zeman discussed the issue with Zaoralek on Friday. “I told the foreign minister that I am deeply dissatisfied with the work of the Czech embassy in Kyiv, which does not have a good attitude to Volhynian Czechs,” Zeman said.
“I have decided to hand the list with the names of 232 repatriation applicants to Interior Minister (Milan) Chovanec on October 18 and ask him to do what can be done,” he added.
Zaoralek said on Friday he told Zeman that the Foreign Ministry takes an accommodating stance on Volhynian Czechs and added that “the door is open for them here.”
Prime Minister Bohuslav Sobotka (Social Democrats, CSSD), reacting to Zeman´s statements, told Czech Television (CT) on Saturday that he is afraid the Volhynian Czechs might become part of Russian propaganda against Ukraine and that the resettlement could complicate Czech relations with Ukraine.
“According to available information, a number of people are seeking resettlement in order to avoid being called up to the Ukrainian military, for instance, so it is not a simple thing at all,” Sobotka said.
Daily Lidove noviny (LN) wrote in August that Zeman wants Zaoralek to replace Pocuch with Antonin Murgas, spokesman for the Brno-based Alta group that supplies machine tools and technological equipment particularly to Ukraine and Russia.
LN released the information referring to two mutually independent sources. Zeman´s office “neither confirmed nor denied” it, LN wrote.
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