The Czech Republic will be able to closer cooperate with Serbia in the sphere of defence under the agreement Defence Minister Lubomir Metnar (for ANO) and his Serb counterpart Aleksandar Vulin signed yesterday. Industry and Trade Minister Karel Havlicek (for ANO) signed a memorandum on cooperation in innovations, artificial intelligence and robotics with his Serb counterpart Nenad Popovic.
The defence cooperation agreement defines the spheres of potential military and technological cooperation such as in the arms and defence technologies, military education, training and health care.
Like the Czech Republic, Serbia has a large defence industry. The Czech government approved the agreement in late August. The Defence Ministry said it was to create pre-conditions for further development of defence cooperation between the Czech Republic and Serbia.
The two countries have a similar understanding from 2005. However, at that time, the Czech Republic concluded it with the federation of Serbia and Montenegro, which ended one year later.
The documents were signed after a meeting of President Milos Zeman and his Serb opposite number Aleksandar Vucic and the talks of national delegations.
Havlicek gradually met four Serbian ministers in charge of energy, industry, technologies and the construction sector in Belgrade today. They talked, for instance, about a possible supply of 130 trams for Belgrade, he said.
The Czech and Serbian politicians also debated the investment plan of the Sebre company to revitalise the film studios in Belgrade. The project was discussed at the meeting of Zeman with Serbian PM Ana Branabic, Havlicek added.
Transport Minister Vladimir Kremlik (for ANO) met his Serbian counterpart Zorana Mihailovic. They discussed their experience with the transport infrastructure building, high-speed railway lines and the Danube-Oder-Elbe water corridor that Zeman supported.
Interior Minister Jan Hamacek (Social Democrats, CSSD) arrived in Serbia with the aim to talk about the Czech police contingent serving in this country and about police cooperation in the future.
