Envoy: Azerbaijan plays important role in ensuring Czech Republic’s energy security

Azerbaijan plays an important role in ensuring the energy security of the Czech Republic, said Vitezslav Pivonka on February 20.

Czech Ambassador to Azerbaijan made the remarks at an event in Baku dedicated to the partnership between Azerbaijan and the EU.

“Azerbaijan and the Czech Republic closely cooperate in the energy sector. Azerbaijani oil supplies are an integral factor of the Czech Republic’s energy security,” the ambassador said.

He added that the MOBILAZE project (Support to the Implementation of the Mobility Partnership with Azerbaijan) is also of great importance within the bilateral cooperation.

The project promotes the exchange of experience, strengthening of bilateral contacts, countries’ contribution to security, reduction of the risks of illegal migration as well as forgery of documents on the borders of the EU countries and Azerbaijan, Pivonka said.

Representatives of the Azerbaijani state agencies, the EU delegation, and experts from the Netherlands and the International Center for Migration Policy Development will participate in the three-day MOBILAZE session on February 20-23, within the Azerbaijan-EU cooperation in the field of mobility.

Pivonka noted that the Czech Republic is happy to share experience in the field of migration and contribute to the security of Azerbaijan and the EU countries.

The ambassador also touched upon the industrial cooperation between the Czech Republic and Azerbaijan, noting that the assembly of Czech Tatra trucks in Azerbaijan will start in May.

Czech Industry Minister Tomas Huner will visit Azerbaijan in May to participate in the launch of this process, Pivonka added.

Earlier, the ambassador said that the Tatra trucks to be assembled in Azerbaijan will be exported abroad. As of December 2017, as many as 500 Tatra trucks and 1,000 Skoda cars were imported to Azerbaijan.

The diplomatic relations between Azerbaijan and the Czech Republic were established in January 1993. Today, Azerbaijan significantly increases the energy security of the Czech Republic since the national oil provides about a third of the annual consumption of the country.

Czech entrepreneurs, in turn, play active role in Azerbaijan’s economy. Czech companies are involved in various projects in the country as contractors.