INVESTORS IN MSK

o moderní průmyslové země, jejichž prosperita z velké části závisí právě na těchto aspektech. Není náhoda, že se naše

firmy často tak aktivně věnují otázkám

udržitelnosti a šetrnosti k životnímu prostředí. Česká republika i Německo navíc

v brzké době získají první dotace v rámci

Green Dealu EU. I proto bude důležité

zintenzivnit spolupráci obou nových vlád

ohledně naplňování tzv. Zelené dohody,

např. i v rámci Česko-německého strategického dialogu.

Pan prezident Steinmeier řekl, že

vztahy mezi Českem a Německem

nemohou být lepší. V čem podle Vás

tyto vlídné vztahy spočívají?

Jsme blízkými partnery v rámci EU, NATO

i OSN. Obě naše země jsou demokracie

sdílející stejné základní hodnoty. Naše firmy, vysoké školy, výzkumné instituce i naši

vědci úzce spolupracují. Vzhledem ke klimatickým změnám a boji s pandemií covidu-19 čelíme stejným výzvám. Tisíc let jsme

sousedé. Jsme schopni spolu o minulosti

otevřeně mluvit. To vytváří důvěru a základ

pro vzájemné porozumění. A velmi důležité je, že přátelství, které naše země spojuje,

nevychází jen ze vztahů politiků, ale z každodenních vztahů občanů našich zemí.

V čem by se podle Vás mohli Češi

u Němců inspirovat, stejně i naopak?

Důležitá je teď úzká spolupráce zejména

v boji s covidem-19 a klimatickými změnami. V mnoha ohledech se toho od sebe

můžeme vzájemně dost přiučit. Například

v oblasti digitalizace je Česko oproti Německu dost napřed, což se ukázalo i v boji

s pandemií. Naproti tomu například debata

o klimatické politice je zase v Německu výrazně intenzivnější než v Česku.

Pane velvyslanče, děkujeme Vám

za rozhovor.

The Moravian-Silesian Region

as a Pioneer in the Field of Dual

Vocational Education

Andreas Künne has been Ambassador of the Federal Republic of Germany to Prague since August

17, 2021. From 2018 to 2021, he was a commissioner for the United Nations and the fight

against terrorism at the Federal Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Since 1993, he has worked at German

embassies in Copenhagen, Seoul, Brussels, Vilnius and Pretoria. He focuses on security policy and

multilateral issues.

Mr Ambassador, in what area would you

see the possibility of cooperation with

the Moravian-Silesian Region? Do you

plan to connect companies to specific or

mutual investments in the near future?

The

Moravian-Silesian

Region

is

experiencing structural changes which the

west German coal regions have already

passed and which some federal states

in eastern Germany are currently going

through. In the west, the cessation of coal

mining was generally good. When we

rely on research and modern technology

instead of coal, jobs are created that have

a future. And it is on these issues that the

dialogue with the Moravian-Silesian Region

should be strengthened. Therefore, in May,

a joint platform of the Fraunhofer Society

and the University of Mining-Technical

University of Ostrava was established. The

Moravian-Silesian Region is also a pioneer

in the field of dual vocational education,

which is also an area where it would

be good to support cooperation with

Germany. Dual education is the basis for

the successful operation not only of large

industries but also small and medium-sized

enterprises.

The theme of the Green Deal is very

resonant in Germany. What can the

Green Deal bring to the Czech Republic

and will you promote its ideas here?

EU Member States will invest in green

technologies in the coming decades, not

only to reduce their CO2 emissions but

also to ensure global competitiveness and

job security for their employees. This is

an absolutely fundamental challenge for

both Germany and the Czech Republic as

these are modern industrialized countries

whose prosperity largely depends on

these aspects. It is no coincidence that our

companies are often so actively involved

in sustainability and environmental

issues. In addition, the Czech Republic

and Germany will soon receive the first

subsidies within the EU Green Deal. This is

one of the reasons why it will be important

to intensify cooperation between the

two new governments regarding the

implementation of the so-called Green

Agreement, for example in the framework

of the Czech-German strategic dialogue.

President Steinmeier said that relations

between the Czech Republic and

Germany could not be better. What

do you think these kind relationships are?

We are close partners within the EU,

NATO and OSN. Both our countries are

democracies that share the same basic

values. Our companies, universities,

research institutions and our scientists

work closely together. Given the climate

change and the fight against the COVID-19

pandemic, we face the same challenges.

We have been neighbors for a thousand

years. We are able to talk openly about

the past. This creates trust and a basis

for mutual understanding. And it is very

important that the friendship that our

countries have in common is not only

based on the relations of politicians but on

the everyday relations of the citizens of our

countries.

How do you think the Czechs could be

inspired by the Germans and vice versa?

Close cooperation is important now,

especially in the fight against COVID-19

and climate change. In many ways, we can

learn a lot from each other. For example,

in the field of digitization, Czechia is far

ahead of Germany, which was also shown

in the fight against the pandemic. On the

other hand, the debate on climate policy,

for example, is much more intense in

Germany than in the Czech Republic.

Ambassador, thank you for the interview.

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