Czech minister Havlíček signs energy memoranda in Ukraine, also eyes nuclear projects

Czech Minister of Industry and Trade Karel Havlíček and Ukrainian Energy Minister Denys Shmyhal signed several memoranda on energy cooperation in Ukraine today. They concern nuclear and hydropower and renewable energy, Havlíček told journalists after the official part of the Czech-Ukrainian business forum. The Czech minister is also due to discuss energy with Ukrainian Prime Minister Serhiy Koretskyi later today.

Havlíček arrived in the country, which is defending itself against large-scale Russian aggression for the fifth year, on Tuesday, accompanied by representatives of around 50 companies from the energy, engineering and IT sectors. According to the minister, the two-day business mission also has political significance: it is a way of expressing support for Ukraine, which has been attacked.

“The memoranda concerned energy cooperation, which has already been under way for several months. I am in close contact with Denys Shmyhal,” Havlíček noted.

The memoranda were signed by the Czech Ministry of Industry and Trade and the Ukrainian Ministry of Energy, as well as by Czech and Ukrainian companies.

According to Havlíček, a number of Czech companies supply products to Ukraine’s public sector, so the Ukrainian side has to issue tenders. “If a company takes part in a tender, it has to provide a certain level of guarantee. That is what I am now discussing here with representatives of EGAP (the state Export Guarantee and Insurance Corporation – CTK note),” he added.