Online Events: The State of Czechia 2025

A week-long debate on Czechia’s future before the parliamentary elections.

[WATCH THE RECAP OF THE STATE OF CZECHIA ONLINE SERIES HERE]

Join us for the State of Czechia online series, 30 September – 2 October, 3:00 PM CEST / 9:00 AM EDT.

On the first weekend of October, voters in Czechia will elect a new parliament. Together with journalists, experts, and policymakers, Visegrad Insight will provide in-depth commentary on this pivotal moment.

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The State of Czechia: Defence
30 September, 3:00 PM CEST

• What role does Czechia play in shaping regional and international security – from the war in Ukraine and relations with China to its commitments within NATO and the EU?
• How could the policies of the current and future governments affect defence spending, support for Ukraine, and responses to global security challenges?

Speakers

Petr Kolář – He served as a Czech Ambassador to Russia, USA, Ireland and Sweden. He is currently a senior advisor to the law firm of Squire Patton Boggs in Prague. He has held numerous positions at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. From 2003 to 2005, he was Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs for Bilateral Relations, in 1999 an advisor for European integration and the Balkans to President Václav Havel and in 2013 the Director of Foreign Affairs for the PPF Group.

Andrej Matisak – has been working as a foreign policy journalist for more than 20 years, and since 2006, he has been with the Pravda newspaper in Slovakia. He covers European politics, international relations, and global security. Between 2015 and 2016, he was the editor of the Defence Matters project.

Kristina Soukupova – founder and President of DefSec Innovation Hub, is a long time defense consultant operating at the highest levels with the government and military. With a PhD from the Department of War Studies, King’s College London, her primary area of expertise is advising major international corporate and government clients on defense and security innovation, procurement as well as corporate strategies and their implementation.

Moderator: Magda Jakubowska – Vice President and Director of Operations at the Res Publica Foundation. She is responsible for planning, managing key ventures, including institutional cooperation and partnerships, strategic foresights’ development, and programming.

The State of Czechia: Foreign Affairs
1 October, 3:00 PM CEST

• How is Czechia positioning itself in international relations ahead of the 2025 parliamentary elections, particularly in its ties with Poland, Germany, the EU, the US, and its role in NATO?
• How might a change of government reshape Czechia’s foreign policy, regional alignments, and responses to global challenges such as the war in Ukraine and tensions with China?

Speakers

Vít Dostál – Executive Director of AMO. He focuses on Czech foreign and European policy, Central European cooperation, and Polish foreign and domestic policy. Vít completed a doctoral program on European Studies at Masaryk University in Brno in 2017 with a dissertation on the “Paradiplomacy of Czech Regions – Regions as Actors of International Relations”.

Kateřina Šafaříková – Czech journalist, head of OP-EDs desk at Seznam Zprávy (since September 2025), the biggest Czech independent news platform. Posted twice as EU and NATO correspondent in Brussels, longtime foreign / European politics reporter, winner of a few Czech journalist awards.

Moderator: Albin Sybera – Contributing Editor at Visegrad Insight. Albin is a freelance journalist, consultant and a former clerk at the State Environmental Fund of the Czech Republic. Besides Visegrad Insight, his texts can be also found at Britské listy or Balkan Insight and he is also a news reporter covering Czechia and Slovakia at bne IntelliNews.

The State of Czechia: Economic Security
2 October, 3:00 PM CEST

• How is Czechia using its automotive and high-tech industries, energy diversification, and digital transformation to boost resilience and protect critical infrastructure?
• How could a change of government reshape fiscal policy, EU integration, and strategies for sustaining growth amid trade disruptions and the green transition?

Speakers

Martin Ehl – reporter of Czech economic daily Hospodářské noviny (hn.cz) since 2001; since January of 2006 till June 2018 Chief International Editor, now Chief Analyst. Previously working in various Czech written media since 1992. Senior Fellow at the Visegrad Insight (visegradinsight.eu), council member of the European Council on Foreign Relations.

Michal Kučera – Editor-in-Chief and Co-founder of WIRED Czech Republic & Slovakia, where he explores the intersection of technology, business, and society in Central and Eastern Europe. He writes and speaks on how global innovation trends shape the region’s politics and economy, with a focus on startups, digital policy, and innovation.

Moderator: Tomasz Kasprowicz – since 2023, Editor-in-Chief of Res Publica Nowa; a member of its editorial team since 2008. PhD in Finance, specializing in risk management, earned his doctorate at Southern Illinois University. An academic lecturer with experience across three continents. Economic columnist contributing to national and regional press. Since 2008, an entrepreneur in the IT industry.

The discussions will last 60 minutes and begin with an on-the-record panel discussion with our speakers, followed by an off-the-record Q&A session.

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