On Sunday 10 and Monday 11 December 2023, we organised an inter-parliamentary meeting of parliamentary assistants of the Parliament of the Czech Republic and the National Assembly of the Slovak Republic in Prague with the aim of reflecting on the election results in Slovakia and sharing experiences with parliamentary work. The programme included visits to Czech institutions, as well as discussions on possible political-security and civic activities that could be implemented in the coming years to strengthen information security and resistance to disinformation, authoritarian tendencies and to strengthen the ties between the parliaments of the Czech Republic and Slovakia.
A total of 19 Slovak parliamentary assistants from various opposition parties, including both newcomers and experienced assistants, had the opportunity to meet Czech parliamentary assistants at an introductory networking dinner. The professional programme continued on Monday with a visit to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and a discussion with Jaroslav Kurfürst, Senior Director of the European Section. During his opening remarks, he discussed not only the common Czech-Slovak history, but also the Czech approach to the conflict in Ukraine and the possibilities for regional cooperation and enlargement of the European Union. This was followed by a visit to the Ministry of the Interior, or the Centre against Hybrid Threats, which presented its activities.
The last part of the programme included a visit to the Chamber of Deputies of the Parliament of the Czech Republic, where Slovak assistants again met with their Czech counterparts to exchange Czech and Slovak perspectives on common political topics. The exchange covered both the Czech and Slovak context of the current political situation, highlighting the importance and lessons learned from how different political parties work together, whether in coalition (Czech context) or in opposition (Slovak perspective). The aim of this cooperation is to preserve the rule of law and other democratic standards.
The study trip to Prague was prepared by the Centre for an Informed Society thanks to the support of the Konrad-Adenauer Foundation and in cooperation with the Institute for Education and Innovation in Politics.
