Dear Minister,
Excellencies,
Ladies and Gentlemen,

Thank you for the invitation.

There is a certain irony in being here today. My first appearance at an ambassadors’ conference as Foreign Minister is taking place in another country before I have had the opportunity to address one in my own. On Monday, we will begin our annual meeting of Czech ambassadors in Prague. Such meetings are useful only if they provide space for a genuinely open exchange of views. We do not need our ambassadors simply to tell us what happened yesterday. We need them to tell us what may happen tomorrow. What it means for our country. And what we can do about it. At a time of such profound change in the world, this ability is more important than ever. And I believe that countries such as the Czech Republic and North Macedonia have good reason to reflect on these changes together. We differ in size and historical experience. But something fundamental unites us. We are European nations that know that our security, prosperity and political freedom can never be taken for granted. And that is precisely why we need to know what our national interests are – and how to defend them.

 

Ladies and Gentlemen,

the world is changing. It is becoming more multipolar, more competitive and more transactional. Economic strength, energy, technology, strategic resources, trade and security are no longer separate domains. They are all part of the same geopolitical competition. The Czech Government is responding to this reality by returning to a more realistic foreign policy. For us, this means something quite simple: National interest must be the starting point of foreign policy. The responsibility of the Czech Government is to safeguard the security, prosperity and sovereignty of the Czech Republic and its citizens. There is nothing radical about this. It is the fundamental responsibility of every democratic government. And it is equally natural for North Macedonia to defend its own national interests. We should not have to apologise for them. On the contrary. International cooperation works best among countries that know who they are, know what they want, and are able to discuss their interests openly. National interests are not an obstacle to cooperation. They are its starting point. The purpose of diplomacy is to identify where those interests overlap. And there are many areas where the interests of the Czech Republic and North Macedonia do precisely that. We are NATO Allies. We share an interest in a strong transatlantic bond. We share an interest in a secure and prosperous Europe. And we share an interest in stronger economic cooperation. We also share an interest in a Europe that respects its nations and their democratic will. The same logic applies to economics. For a small and open country such as the Czech Republic, trade is not a secondary concern of foreign policy. Economic security, energy, access to markets and strategic resources are today part of national security. That is why we want our diplomacy to open doors for Czech businesses, diversify our economic relations and deliver tangible results for our citizens. Here, too, we see considerable potential for deeper cooperation between our countries.

 

Ladies and Gentlemen,

in recent years, we in Europe have sometimes succumbed to the idea that there is only one acceptable view of society, the economy or international affairs. Those who challenged it could easily find themselves labelled as the problem. Criticism of ever greater centralisation was portrayed as opposition to Europe. Defending borders as a lack of solidarity. Defending national interests as selfishness. At times, it even seemed as though the very word “nation” belonged more to the past than to the future. We disagree. And I believe political developments in Europe and across the Atlantic show that a growing number of citizens disagree as well. The nation state remains the fundamental space of democratic legitimacy. It is where citizens elect their governments, pay their taxes and hold their political leaders to account. European cooperation should not replace this principle. It should reinforce it. The Czech Republic remains firmly anchored in the European Union and NATO. That is our national interest. But membership of the European Union does not mean surrendering our right to have our own views about its future. The European Union is a human creation. It is not beyond criticism. Some of its policies work well. Others do not. And when something does not work, we have not only the right, but the responsibility to say so. That is not anti-European. That is democracy. And it is precisely for this reason that the Czech Republic is a strong supporter of European Union enlargement. We do not want a closed club. We want a Europe of self-confident nations, capable of working together wherever their interests coincide. And in such a Europe, we believe North Macedonia has its place. Let me therefore be absolutely clear: The Czech Republic supports North Macedonia’s membership of the European Union. We advocate this position bilaterally, within the European Union and together with other friends of enlargement and of the Western Balkans. And we do not do so out of charity. It is in the Czech national interest for North Macedonia to succeed. Because a stable, secure and prosperous North Macedonia makes Europe stronger. Because, as a NATO Ally, you are already contributing to our common security. And because we believe the European Union needs countries that do not join it in order to give up their identity, but to work with others in defending their interests and contributing to the common strength of Europe. The Czech Republic has been through the accession process itself.

It was not easy, and we did not get everything right. That is precisely why I would like to offer a few lessons from our own experience.

1. The first is this:

Do not allow the accession negotiations themselves to become the objective. The objective must be a strong North Macedonia. Strong institutions. A competitive economy. Legal certainty. An effective state. Public trust. EU membership should be the result of that success, not a substitute for it.

        2. The second lesson is this:

Know what your fundamental national interests are before you join. Once you are inside, it becomes much more difficult to reopen certain questions. So negotiate with confidence. European integration does not mean that a candidate country ceases to have interests of its own. And we are well aware that North Macedonia's path towards membership has not been an easy one. Along the way, you have had to confront demands and political obstacles that have not always been easy to explain to your citizens. But the accession process is not simply a process of accepting conditions. It is also a negotiation. And if a country knows that a particular issue is fundamental to it, I believe it has every right to seek, before accession, an arrangement that it can defend before its own citizens for the long term. We would certainly understand North Macedonia seeking such an arrangement.

            3. And the third lesson:

Maintain political ownership of the process. Do not implement reforms simply because they appear on a list of requirements from Brussels. Implement reforms because they are good for North Macedonia. And this is where you, North Macedonia’s ambassadors, have a particularly important role to play. You need to understand what is really happening in individual European capitals. Where there is a genuine political obstacle. Where there is simply a lack of attention. Where allies can be found. And which arguments work. Your task is not only to explain Europe to Skopje. You must also explain North Macedonia to Europe. And when an approach is not working, you must be prepared to tell your political leadership so openly. That is one of the most valuable services diplomats can provide to their country.

From the Czech perspective, the accession process must be credible on both sides. Candidate countries must implement reforms and honour their commitments. But the European Union must honour its commitments as well. Candidate countries should be able to trust that agreed conditions will not be supplemented by new political requirements along the way. Merit-based must mean merit-based for both sides.

So our message to you is this: Do not compromise on reforms that are in your own national interest. But do not hesitate to insist that the European Union respect its own commitments as well. Enlargement must make Europe stronger. It should not, however, become a pretext for further centralisation of the Union or for weakening Member States in areas where they consider unanimity essential. We believe the European Union can become larger without becoming more centralised. And perhaps it is precisely the new Member States that can bring something to the European debate that we need today: greater sensitivity to national sovereignty, democratic accountability and the legitimate differences among European societies.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

this also brings me to security. The Western Balkans should not be viewed as a region whose security must be provided by others. It can be – and in many respects already is – a provider of European security. North Macedonia demonstrates this. You are our NATO Ally. You participate actively in European security and defence cooperation. And like the Czech Republic, you understand the importance of the transatlantic bond. The global balance of power is changing. The strategic focus of the United States is increasingly shifting towards Asia. This is not a temporary development. It reflects deeper changes in the international balance of power. Europe must therefore assume greater responsibility for its own defence. But this is not an alternative to the transatlantic relationship. It is a condition for preserving it. A stronger European pillar of NATO and a strong American presence in Europe are not contradictory objectives. For the Czech Republic, both are part of the same national interest.

Excellencies,

the Czech Republic and North Macedonia are also connected by history. Let me mention just Saints Cyril and Methodius, whose legacy is deeply rooted in the historical memory of both our nations. But what we can do together today is even more important. When the Czech Republic was seeking membership of NATO and the European Union, we needed countries on the inside that understood us. Countries that were willing to speak up for us. Today, we are on the other side of that door. And we are ready to do the same for North Macedonia. Not because we wish to do you a favour. But because it is in our common interest. The world is changing. In such a world, we believe that those countries will succeed that have the confidence to know who they are, what their interests are, and with whom they can advance them. National interest is not the opposite of cooperation. Sovereignty is not the opposite of Europe. And patriotism is not the opposite of partnership among nations. Self-confident nations make reliable Allies. Countries that respect themselves are better able to respect others. And it is on precisely this kind of mutual respect that we want to build the relationship between the Czech Republic and North Macedonia. In North Macedonia, we see an Ally, a partner and a friend. And we look forward to the day when we can welcome you as a fellow member of the European Union.

Thank you.