Estonia and Czech Republic
Relations between Estonia and the Czech Republic have been historically good and co-operation close.
Soon after Estonia’s independence, Czechoslovakia was covered by the Embassy of the Republic of Estonia in Berlin, and after that by the embassy in Warsaw. The first diplomat to permanently reside in Prague was charge d’affaires Philip Kaljot, who arrived in January 1934. The diplomatic relations that were disrupted between Estonia and Czechoslovakia in March 1939 following the occupation of Czechoslovakia were restored on 9 September 1991. On 1 January 1993, diplomatic relations were automatically transferred to the successor states of Czechoslovakia.
The Embassy of the restored Republic of Estonia started work in Prague in August 1997, headed by chargé d’affaires a.i. Riho Laanemäe. Estonia’s first ambassadors to the Czech Republic were Toivo Tasa and Mart Laanemäe – both residing in Vienna. The first Estonian ambassador to reside in Prague, Eve-Külli Kala, represented Estonia from 2002-2006, after which Mati Vaarmann was our ambassador to the Czech Republic until July 2010. Until July 2014 Lembit Uibo was the ambassador of Estonia, whose sucessor from 2014 to 2018 was Sten Schwede. The current Estonian ambassador in Prague is Eva-Maria Liimets.
Vladimír Bulinský has been the Estonian honorary consul in Brno since 4 June 2010 (consular area covering the regions of South Moravia and Zlin).
The Czechoslovakian consulate in Tallinn started work in 1921 and the embassy was established in 1928. A chargé d’affaires a.i. worked in Tallinn, while the ambassador to Czechoslovakia was accredited to Warsaw. The Czech Embassy in Tallinn was opened on 15 May 2000. The first permanently residing ambassador to represent the Czech Republic in Estonia was Vladislav Labudek, whose successor was ambassador Miloš Lexa. On 17 September 2012 ambassador Richard Kadlčák presented his credentials to president Toomas Hendrik Ilves. The Czech defence attaché Colonel Zdeněk Kubíček resides in Vilnius.
Visits
| To the Czech Republic | |
| Veebruar 2015 | Riigikogu Speaker Eiki Nestor |
|---|---|
| June 2014 | President Toomas Hendrik Ilves at the annual Aspen Institute Prague conference |
| February 2012 | Foreign Minister Urmas Paet |
| November 2011 | Prime Minister Andrus Ansip |
| November 2011 | Riigikogu Speaker Ene Ergma |
| May 2009 | President Toomas Hendrik Ilves as the main speaker at the opening of the new headquarters of “Radio Free Europe” |
| November 2009 | Riigikogu Speaker Ene Ergma |
| September 2008 | Riigikogu Speaker Ene Ergma |
| May 2008 | Prime Minister Andrus Ansip |
| March 2008 | Prime Minister Andrus Ansip |
| August 2007 | Prime Minister Andrus Ansip |
| June 2007 | President Toomas Hendrik Ilves |
| To Estonia | |
| March 2014 | Deputy Foreign Minister Petr Drulák at the NB8+V4 foreign ministers meeting in Narva |
|---|---|
| June 2013 | Speaker of the Chamber of Deputies Miroslava Němcová |
| April 2013 | Prime Minister Petr Nečas on an official visit |
| November 2010 | Foreign Minister Karel Schwarzenberg |
| April 2010 | Foreign Minister Jan Kohout at the NATO foreign ministers` meeting |
| May 2009 | Minister for European Affairs Stefan Füle |
| March 2009 | Deputy Prime Minister Alexandr Vondra |
| November 2008 | Defence Minister Vlasta Parkanova |
| May 2008 | Prime Minister Mirek Topolanek |
| September 2007 | Chairman of the Senate Premysl Sobotka |
| May 2006 | President Vaclav Klaus |
The Czech Republic has been more active in parliamentary relations. Since 2006 Estonia has been visited by the environmental committee, the constitutional committee, a data protection delegation, and a delegation of members of the economic, agricultural and transportation committees of the Czech Senate. Other visitors have included the EU affairs committee of the house of representatives, a delegation of the budgetary committee, and Chairman of the Czech Senate P. Sobotka. In the Riigikogu, the Estonian-Czech parliamentary group has been established and is headed by Mailis Reps. After the 2010 parliamentary elections a Czech-Baltic interparliamentary friendship group was established in the House of Representatives; its chairman is Radim Jirout.
In March 2010, Prime Minister Andrus Ansip met with Prime Minister Jan Fischer. Czech Foreign Minister Jan Kohout along with a 10-member delegation participated in the NATO foreign ministers’ meeting in Tallinn in April 2010.
In November 2010 Czech Foreign Minister Karel Schwarzenberg came to Estonia, visiting both Tartu and Tallinn.
In addition to high-level visits, consultations between the foreign ministries are also held.
The Czech Republic is an important defence co-operation partner to Estonia. Czech aircraft have participated in the Baltic air policing mission.
Agreements
- Convention for the Avoidance of Double Taxation and the Prevention of Fiscal Evasion with Respect to Taxes on Income and on Capital (came into force 24.05.95);
- C-operation Agreement Between Ministry of defence of the Republic of Estonia and Ministry of Defence of the Czech Republic (came into force 25.01.96);
- Agreement on International Road Transport of Passengers and Goods (came into force 31.05.00);
- Agreement on Cooperation in the Field of Culture, Education and Science (came into force 19.11.03);
- Agreement on the Exchange and Mutual Protection of Classified Information (came into force 01.08.12).
As of 1 May 2004, economic relations between Estonia and the Czech Republic are regulated by the rules of the European Union internal market and by bilateral agreements in those areas that are under the jurisdiction of the member states.