Minister Macinka: Abroad, President Pavel and I Are on the Same Page

Czech Foreign Minister Filip Macinka has said that during trips abroad, he and President Petr Pavel present a united front, despite domestic political friction between them. He made the comments in an interview, discussing the president's address to the UN General Assembly and their joint meetings in New York.

On Pavel's UN Speech

Macinka praised Petr Pavel's Wednesday address to the UN General Assembly, singling out the line that rules only have value when they are binding for everyone — especially for those capable of breaking them. According to the minister, this reflects the Czech Republic's approach to multilateralism and its work within the UN. He also revealed that he personally helped prepare materials for the president's speech, saying he didn't want to underestimate the importance of the occasion.

Asked why the speech criticized Russia and China but not the United States, the minister replied that the content of the address is the president's own responsibility, while the Foreign Ministry only prepared a general framework binding on the whole delegation, including both the head of state and the foreign minister.

Trump and the World Order

Macinka also addressed his earlier remarks about Donald Trump — over the summer he had congratulated the American president on his birthday and praised his willingness to "challenge the existing order." The minister clarified that he does not view Trump's actions as destroying the world order: "The world order is changing, and that's always a dynamic process." In his view, one cannot cling to the illusion that the world remains as it was 80 years ago, when the UN was founded — which is precisely why reform of the organization is now being actively discussed.

Relations with the President

Speaking about his relationship with Petr Pavel, Macinka noted that over the past few days they had met and spoken three times, including joint breakfasts at the same New York hotel. He said that in domestic politics he represents the governing coalition, while the president often takes positions closer to the opposition, so friction on that front is only natural. Abroad, however, domestic political disagreements make no sense — there, acting in unison is what matters.

The minister added that in the Czech system, foreign policy is set by the government and coordinated by the Foreign Ministry, so his meetings with the president at home are not obligatory. But if the head of state wants to discuss something, Macinka said, he can always reach out directly.

Around Prague, based on reporting by novinky.cz