Czech and Slovak Governments Resume Joint Talks
Czech and Slovak ministers met for a joint session at Nová Horka Chateau in the Moravian-Silesian Region after nearly two years. Prime Ministers Babiš and Fico signed a memorandum on enhanced cooperation in energy, transport, defense, and digitalization.
The governments of the Czech Republic and Slovakia met for a joint session on Tuesday, March 31st, at Nová Horka Chateau in Studénka, Moravian-Silesian Region. This marks the first such meeting since April 2023, when the two governments last convened in Trenčín. The resumption of the traditional format of joint sessions is a result of the changed political climate following Andrej Babiš's assumption of the Czech premiership.
Why the Talks Were Suspended
The previous Czech government, led by Petr Fiala of the ODS, cancelled the joint sessions in 2024. This was due to differing views on foreign policy issues, particularly Slovakia's stance on the war in Ukraine and Prime Minister Robert Fico's controversial statements on the matter. The tradition of joint government meetings began in 2012 in Uherské Hradiště, and a total of eight such meetings have taken place since then.
Memorandum on Enhanced Cooperation
A key outcome of Tuesday's summit was the signing of a memorandum on enhanced cooperation between the governments of both countries. The document, which the Czech government approved prior to the meeting, paves the way for closer coordination in the areas of foreign policy, economy, defense, digitalization, tourism, and sports. As Czech Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Industry Karel Havlíček announced before the talks, the memorandum is intended to define specific common goals.
Energy and Gas as a Priority
One of the main topics of discussion was energy security. The Czech Republic is an important transit territory for Slovakia for the transport of natural gas, which is gaining importance following the adoption of the REPowerEU initiative. During Babiš's visit to Bratislava in January, both sides declared that the Czech Republic would assist Slovakia with gas supply issues. In addition to energy, ministers also discussed transport infrastructure and support for the competitiveness of both economies.
Defense and Crisis Cooperation
Defense and security were also an important chapter in the talks. The Czech Republic continues to participate in the protection of Slovak airspace in 2026 and participates in the NATO multinational brigade on Slovak territory. Slovakia, in turn, assisted in the evacuation of Czech citizens from crisis areas — carrying out a total of 17 evacuation flights, which brought 69 Czech citizens to safety. In July 2025, the health ministers of both countries signed a framework agreement on cross-border cooperation of rescue services.
Bilateral Meetings of Ministers
The program at Nová Horka Chateau was purely working in nature. Ministers from both governments also met in sectoral formats with their respective counterparts. The talks took place from 11:30 AM, followed by a working lunch and a joint press conference by the prime ministers. The topics of the bilateral meetings included, among other things, the environment, economic cooperation, and humanitarian aid.
A Signal for the Future
The resumption of joint government meetings is also a signal of a broader thaw in relations in the region. Prime Ministers Fico and Babiš also announced their interest in reviving the Visegrad Four format and convening a meeting within the Slavkov Format with Austrian Chancellor Christian Stocker. According to tradition, the next joint government meeting should take place in Slovakia.
