Tomáš Petříček

For the canoeist, see Tomáš Petříček (canoeist).

Tomáš Petříček
Tomáš Petříček in February 2019
Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic
In office 16 October 2018 – 12 April 2021
Prime Minister	Andrej Babiš
Preceded by	Jan Hamáček
Succeeded by	Jan Hamáček
Personal details
Born	(1981-09-27) 27 September 1981 (age 43) Rokycany, Czechoslovak Socialist Republic (now Czech Republic)
Political party	Social Democracy (2005–2024)[1]
Alma mater	Charles University in Prague University of Warwick
Scientific career
Thesis	Energy security perspectives of the European Union  (2014)

Tomáš Petříček (born 27 September 1981) is a Czech politician who served as Minister of Foreign Affairs from October 2018 to April 2021.^[2] He served as Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs between August and October 2018, then Deputy Minister of Labor and Social Affairs from May until December 2017.

Political career

Early political career

Petříček went through the ranks of the Young Social Democrats. He became a political officer of the foreign department of the ČSSD and its head, respectively in 2005 and 2006.

Between 2007 and 2009, Petříček was assistant to Libor Rouček, Member of the European Parliament. From 2014 until 2017, he served as an adviser to MEP Miroslav Poche.^[3] Petříček was also involved in the preparation of this party's campaign in 2016 Czech regional election.^[4] Later, Petříček worked at the Prague City Hall, where he was in charge of European funds in the council's council, and served on the supervisory boards and boards of several companies.^[5]

Minister of Labor and Social Affairs

Petricek meets with U.S. Secretary of State Michael R. Pompeo in Munich, Germany on February 14, 2020.

In May 2017, Petříček was appointed political deputy minister of labor and social affairs of the Czech Republic Michaela Marksová in the Cabinet of Bohuslav Sobotka. He actively supported Petr Dolínek against Miloslav Ludvík in deciding on the position of the leading ČSSD candidate for the 2017 Czech legislative election.^[6]

In the 2018 Czech municipal elections, Petříček was the leading ČSSD candidate for the Prague 7 City Council, thus becoming the party's candidate for mayor of this district.^[7] However, he failed to be elected to the city council.^[8]

Minister of Foreign Affairs

At the beginning of October 2018, Miloš Zeman appointed Petříček as Minister of Foreign Affairs.^[9] Petříček became the fifteenth member of Second Cabinet of Andrej Babiš, formed by the coalition entities ANO and ČSSD.^[10]

Foreign policy positions

China

At the end of 2018, Petříček met Chinese Minister of Foreign Affairs Wang Yi to discuss intergovernmental commission that would improve China-Czech Republic relations.^[11] During the meeting with Chinese officials, Petříček did not want to elaborate on the issue of labor camps in Xinjiang, in which the Chinese government interned more than a million minority Uyghurs.^[12] In January 2020, he stated that "we need to talk with China and are interested in developing economic relations".^[13]

Middle East

Petříček criticised the Assassination of Jamal Khashoggi, wanting a stronger EU stance on the event at the Council of Foreign Ministers. He supported the Iran nuclear deal.^[14]

In November 2018, Petříček went on a two-day visit to Israel and spread criticism regarding the Israeli annexation on East Jerusalem, which Palestinians claimed as the capital of the State of Palestine.^[15]

During a visit to Palestine in July 2019, Petříček assured the Palestinians that the Czech Republic would not recognise Jerusalem as the capital of Israel.^[16]

Personal life

Apart from his native Czech, Petříček speaks English, French, and Spanish.^[5] Petříček has a daughter and son with his wife, Iva, whom he met during his studies.^[17]

References

1. "Petříček a Buzková opouštějí SOCDEM, nesouhlasí se směřováním strany". iDNES.cz (in Czech). Mafra. 2024-10-07. Retrieved 2024-10-07.
2. "Czech foreign minister sacked after losing challenge to party leader". Reuters. 12 April 2021.
3. Last, First (18 September 2018). "Kdo povede ministerstvo zahraničí? Kandidátem ČSSD je náměstek Petříček". Deník (in Czech). Prague: Vltave Labe Media.
4. Novotný, Jan (26 August 2018). "zákulisí. Kdo pracuje na volebním úspěchu stran?". euro.cz (in Czech). Retrieved 18 September 2019.
5. "Tomáš Petříček". Government of the Czech Republic. 16 October 2018. Retrieved 6 March 2023.
6. Houska, Ondřej; Truchlá, Helena; Hotová, Tereza (18 September 2018). "Černínský palác má vést proevropský Petříček, Pochemu dřív dělal asistenta". Aktualně.cz (in Czech). Economia.
7. "Kandidátem ČSSD na starostu Prahy 7 je Tomáš Petříček". Parlamentní Listy (in Czech). Our Media. 27 May 2018. Retrieved 18 September 2018.
8. "Volby do zastupitelstev obcí | Obec Praha 7 výběr kandidátní listiny". Czech Statistical Office (in Czech). Retrieved 2 January 2019.
9. Kopecký, Josef (4 September 2018). "Mohl bych být jmenován příští týden, řekl po jednání u Zemana Petříček". Mladá fronta Dnes (in Czech). Prague: Mafra.
10. "Česko se dočkalo ministra zahraničí. Prezident Zeman jmenoval Tomáše Petříčka". ČT24 (in Czech). 16 October 2018.
11. "Petříček řešil s čínským ministrem i lidská práva. Je třeba se jim věnovat, řekl". Aktualně.cz (in Czech). 5 November 2018.
12. "Petříček se Zemanem jedou do Číny. Na ochranu lidských práv se podle ministra nedostane". Seznam.cz (in Czech). 2 November 2018.
13. "Petříček: Vztahy s totalitní Čínou mají být pragmatické a realistické. Očekávání se zatím nenaplnila". ČT24 (in Czech). 19 January 2020.
14. "Petříček: EU by měla Saúdům připomenout význam ochrany médií". České noviny (in Czech). 19 November 2018. Archived from the original on 22 February 2019.
15. "Petříček se v Izraeli s Netanjahuem nesetkal. Jeho návštěvu Zdi nářků kritizují Palestinci". ČT24 (in Czech). Czech Television. 14 November 2018.
16. "Česko ambasádu do Jeruzaléma nepřesune, ujistil Palestince Petříček navzdory Zemanovi". Aktualně.cz (in Czech). 8 July 2018.
17. Bohuslavová, Renáta (24 August 2020). "Petříčková: Ne vždy volím ČSSD. Bojím se, že se mi kvůli politice rozpadne rodina". CNN Prima News (in Czech). Retrieved 4 May 2021.

External links