PM: Support for Pussy Riot, Dalai Lama hurts exports

Pussy Riot at courtAutor: Reutersvětší obrázek »

Brno - Political support for the imprisoned members of Russia's punk rock band Pussy Riot or Tibet's exiled spiritual leader Dalai Lama hurts Czech exports, said Prime Minister Petr Necas (ODS) at the International Engineering Fair in Brno.

"We must also prevent some fashionable political statements that, objectively speaking, affect our exports. Artificial and false praising of an issue such as Russian band Pussy Riot is something that is an example of very bad taste, and it does not symbolize freedom and democracy in any way", said Necas.

"Some politicians let themselves get carried away by this fashion trend, and it eventually has an impact on this export territory," said Necas about the Czech politicians who had criticized the imprisonment of the members of the Pussy Riot band.

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"Admiration (of the Dalai Lama) is not a support for freedom and democracy," Necas also said, adding that a Tibetan regime would probably have "a half-feudal, theocratic character with strong authoritarian elements."

Necas said that the Czech Republic is committed to the "one China" policy.

However, the PM added that support of human rights must remain a key priority for Czech foreign policy.

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Foreign Minister Karel Schwarzenberg (TOP 09) criticized Necas's words, accusing him of repeating Chinese government propaganda on Tibet.

"This statement is a bow to the (Chinese) regime. And I still believe that no Czech Foreign Minister will bow their head before big powers when human rights are concerned. We must act against dictators in the same way regardless of how powerful they are" said Schwarzenberg in an interview with Lidove noviny, a Czech daily newspaper.

The Czech Republic's new export strategy aims to lower the economy's dependency on the EU market, defining twelve priority countries that include Brazil, China, India, Iraq, Ukraine and the USA.

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