Speech of the PM M. Topolánek on the Occasion of Inauguration of the Embassy of the Moldavian Republic in the Czech Republic

Dear Mrs. Prime Minister,

I welcome you again to the Czech Republic. I very appreciate you for accepting my invitation and visiting the Czech Republic, as the first country of the EU, in spite of the fact that according to the diplomatic protocol my visit to Moldavia should have been made first. But what is the protocol for among friends? For that matter, our friendship is manifested by the existence of that embassy, that very nice building which we are inaugurating today, and by the fact that the Moldavian ambassador had been working in Prague even before he was given a permanent seat.

Dear Mrs. Prime Minister,

As an illustration of our excellent mutual relations can serve the presence of the Moldavian Minister of Foreign Affairs and European Integration, Mr. Stratan, during the session of the Visegrad Four in October 2007 or this year's meeting of presidents of both countries, Mr. Klaus and Mr. Voronin on the occasion of the session of central European presidents, and of course, the visit of your predecessor Vasile Tarlev in April 2006. Moldavia is a country which is very close to us, not only in geographical terms but also through its history. I believe that, apart from the common and not always happy past, also the common future in free, secure and flourishing Europe is ahead of us. Moldavia is a priority country for us, not only as far as developing aid is concerned, but also in the framework of the Common Foreign and Security Policy of the EU. We are pleased that your country was included in the initiative "European Neighbourhood Policy", and we welcome serious interest of your government to be fully integrated into the EU, and we will support this effort of yours. After the accession of Romania you became direct neighbours of the EU and the Czech Republic will certainly belong among countries which will not want you to be just waiting behind the door. We are also ready to exchange our experiences and to help you to avoid mistakes which we made during our integration process.

Dear Mrs. Prime Minister,

You are already in Europe, of course, but we would like to welcome you in the European Union as well. We must jointly break certain mistrust, certain fears of further enlargement which as a ghost is walking round Europe. I believe we will be successful. You must be given the same chance as we were given!