Czech Senate chairman, education minister to visit Azerbaijan

Milan Stech, chairman of the Czech Senate, and Katerina Valachova, the Czech education minister, will visit Azerbaijan in the first half of 2017, Vitezslav Pivonka, Czech ambassador to Azerbaijan, said at a press conference in Baku October 21.

He didn’t reveal the exact dates of the visits.

Stech is expected to meet with the Azerbaijani leadership and discuss a wide range of bilateral issues as part of his visit.

Valachova will hold meetings in the Azerbaijani Ministry of Education and Ministry of Youth and Sports.

The ambassador added that the Czech Republic is the largest importer of Azerbaijani products among the EU countries and ranks ninth among those countries in terms of exports to Azerbaijan.

Pivonka also said Azerbaijan ensures one-third of the Czech Republic's oil needs - around 2.4 million tons per year.

The ambassador added that Azerbaijan plays an important role in the diversification of sources of oil supplies to the Czech Republic and ensuring its energy security.

He said that trade turnover between Azerbaijan and the Czech Republic was $1.2 billion in 2015, which is 30 percent less than in 2014.

"Trade turnover decreased due to falling oil prices,” he added. "Product mix in the mutual trade expanded in 2015.”

Pivonka also stressed that the Czech Republic is one of the major investors in the Azerbaijani economy.

"The amount of the Czech investments has exceeded $2 billion in the last six years,” he said.

The diplomat added that the Azerbaijani investors have not been actively investing in the Czech economy yet, although the economic situation in the Czech Republic is favorable.

"The Czech Republic’s GDP growth amounted to 4.3 percent, which is the highest rate among the EU countries,” he said.