It is an utmost honour for me to be entrusted by the President of the Czech Republic to represent our interests in Estonia.

The two of our countries share a lot: from a post-communist legacy, which we hopefully managed to overcome after thirty years, through membership in two key entities of a liberally-democratic world: the European Union and North Atlantic Alliance, to mutual sympathies between our nations. In both the EU and NATO we share views on numerous policy challenges. Czech Air Force jetfighters have until recently been taking off from the Ämari airbase protecting the Baltic airspace. Our soldiers stand side by side in the Sahel region. We both want to build a strong Europe that would serve as a role model for the world from the green transition to digital to cyber defence. We both strive for a rules-based world order, as opposed to the world based on the survival of the fittest, from which we both suffered tremendously in the past. We both understand and value the importance of regional co-operation. And I do believe that strengthening of our bilateral ties can contribute greatly to the achievement of these objectives.

During my mission I plan to do what it takes to ensure that the Czech-Estonian relations flourish on all fronts: politically, economically, culturally as well as in terms of people-to-people contacts.

This year, we will commemorate a centenary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between our nations and thirty years from their re-establishment after Estonia regained its independence. I would love to see us facing future challenges together with our heads straight up and confirming our anchorage in the region of Central and Nordic Europe, in the European Union as well as in the free democratic world. That´s why I believe we can help and inspire each other in this quest.

February 9, 2021