12.03.2021
Office of the Government
On 11 March 2021, the Prime Minister of the Czech Republic, Andrej Babiš, held talks in Israel with the Prime Minister of Israel, Benjamin Netanyahu, on the vaccination of citizens and on vaccines. During his visit to Jerusalem, the Czech Prime Minister also inaugurated a new branch of the Embassy of the Czech Republic in the capital of the State of Israel.
The Czech Prime Minister met in Jerusalem with his Israeli counterpart and subsequently also with the Prime Minister of Hungary. The main topics of the Prime Ministers’ joint meeting were vaccination of the population as well as cooperation in the production of vaccines. The Prime Minister of the Czech Republic expressed the Czech Republic’s interest in participating in the international research and development fund, the establishment of which was announced last week by the Prime Ministers of Israel, Denmark and Austria.
“The two most important points were actually the two offers from Israel. They are de facto similar or the same as those offered last week when the Austrian Prime Minister and the Danish Prime Minister were here, which means that we have been offered the opportunity to participate in the production of vaccines that is to take place in Israel. I find the offer interesting because today the situation is such where Europe does not have its own vaccine. The second thing is the green passport, which they use here for everyone who has been vaccinated, and accordingly these persons have the opportunity to access individual places and their economy and society can gradually open. They have agreements with Greece and Cyprus on the mutual acceptance of the green passport,” said Andrej Babiš.
The Czech Prime Minister was accompanied by an expert team of doctors who participate in the development of Czech experimental treatment. Czech experts discussed with their Israeli colleagues their experience with treating Covid-19 and the related best practices. They also discussed the possibility of using a new Israeli experimental drug for Covid-19 in the Czech Republic. The drug was developed in the research laboratory of Ichilov Hospital, it is administered to patients by inhalation and it shows very promising results.
Prime Minister Babiš praised Israel for sharing their experience in the fight against the Covid-19 pandemic and for the assistance provided to the Czech Republic in the form of five thousand vaccines. Israel has become a world leader in vaccinating the population and it is fast approaching the point of herd immunity. “Our experts had the opportunity to discuss in great detail the experience with the Covid-19 pandemic. Vaccination in Israel is very advanced, they are the best in the world,” the Prime Minister added.
During his visit to Jerusalem, Prime Minister Babiš inaugurated a new branch of the Embassy of the Czech Republic in Tel Aviv. “Israel is our strategic partner and I had the opportunity, together with the Minister of the Interior and the Minister of Foreign Affairs, to open a branch of our embassy in Jerusalem. I think this is a proof of our friendship with Israel and our traditional friendly relations,” said the Prime Minister of the Czech Republic after the ceremony.
Autor: Office of the Government