Zeman's statements forced Pristina to withdraw from the Summit in the Prague

Zeman's statements forced Pristina to withdraw from the Summit in the Prague

Czech agency CTK had announced this, stating that it refers to Milos Zeman's statements that he likes the Serbs but dislikes Kosovo, and the initiative to check whether Czech Republic could withdraw Kosovo independence recognition.

After the words of President Zeman in Belgrade, as CTK finds out, on the Prague Summit, nobody had confirmed participation yet. Pristina was supposed to be presented by its Vice President of the Government, but Czech hosts negotiate with Pristina to send its lower ranked representative.

Reactions in the Czech Republic were triggered by President Zeman's statement upon landing on Belgrade airport that he likes Serbia and the Serbs, but dislikes Kosovo, while Czech Foreign Affairs Chief Tomasz Petschicek attempted to make this statement a joke, saying that the president does not like Kosovo, as it had beaten Czech football national team these days.

Chief if Czech Foreign Affairs said that Czech Republic has correct relations with both Kosovo and Serbia and that it is among the hundred states that recognized Kosovo's independence, and that it is in the interest of EU security for the Western Balkans to integrate into EU, while representatives of the Czech opposition parties had strongly condemned Zeman for giving such irresponsible statements in the region that is highly combustible.

"Kada bih hteo da budem surov, rekao bih - neka na pisti na aerodromu mrmlja šta god hoće. Spoljnu politiku i njen pravac određuje vlada", kazao je lider opozicione stranke STAN Vit Rakušan.

Former Czech Chief of diplomacy from the oppositional liberal party TOP09, Karel Schwarzenberg addressed Zeman that if he thinks that Kosovo does not exist, he should talk to the Czech football players.

"It is not possible. If a state has been recognized, we cannot say that it does not exist", he said commenting on Zeman's announcement that he will consider with other Czech official the possibility of withdrawing Kosovo's recognition.

President of the Senate of the Czech Parliament Jaroslav Kubera said to the daily "Mlada fronta dnes" that Zeman mentioned revocation of Kosovo's independence only to appeal to Serbs.

"He said that just to please the Serbs. Nothing will come out of it. He has no legal power to change that. The President can talk whatever he wants, but he is not the one who can do anything. It will be yet another futile debate", Kubera said.