Minister Lipavský Held Talks with Spanish Minister Albares
16.04.2025 / 12:36 | Aktualizováno: 16.04.2025 / 12:57
On Wednesday 16 April 2025, Minister of Foreign Affairs Jan Lipavský welcomed the Spanish Minister of Foreign Affairs, European Union and Cooperation, José Manuel Albares, to the Czernin Palace.
"Spain is a key partner for us within the European Union and NATO. We have therefore agreed on our mutual interest in strengthening our bilateral cooperation in the political, economic and security spheres and today we have confirmed this interest by signing a joint Memorandum of Cooperation between our Ministries," Minister Lipavský said.
The defence sector has a great potential in the bilateral relations, with a number of Czech companies from the defence sector planning to participate in the FEINDEF defence fair in Madrid in May 2025.
Czech-Spanish trade relations are growing. In 2024, the turnover reached almost 8.9 billion euros. Moreover, Spain is the 9th largest export market for the Czech Republic. The two countries share a similar focus, namely on the automotive industry, which is the backbone of both economies - accounting for 10% of GDP. Spain is the second largest vehicle manufacturer in the EU, Czechia the third.
During the visit of the Spanish Minister, the Ministers met with the descendants and families of the Spanish soldiers and watched the documentary film "Ashes", which commemorates the legacy of František Suchý, who preserved the memory of the Spaniards martyred in the Hradiště concentration camp.
"This year, Spain marks 50 years since it embarked on the path to democracy, and the whole world is commemorating the 80th anniversary of the end of the Second World War. At the same time, for more than three years we have witnessed unprecedented Russian aggression against Ukraine. In this context, the documentary "Ashes" is also a stirring memento: let us not be intimidated, let us not accept violence as a means to achieve political goals, our will cannot be broken," said Minister Lipavský at the premiere of the film. During the visit of the Spanish Minister, the Ministers met with the descendants and families of the Spanish soldiers and watched the documentary film "Ashes", which commemorates the legacy of František Suchý, who preserved the memory of the Spaniards martyred in the Hradiště concentration camp.
