An efficient
transportation system and a good transport
infrastructure are very important for sustaining
a country's economic development. What is
your assessment of the transportation sector
and the transport infrastructure in your country?
The network in our country is very extensive,
but the quality remains below the quality
in Western European countries. I believe
it is positive that the railway system is
larger in the Czech Republic than in most
of the Western European countries, around
14% more per square kilometer. The municipal
transport system is also very good and there
is a good chance that it will have a large
share of the overall transport system.
Because of the long-term isolation of our
country, our infrastructure is not yet well
connected with other countries as far as
railways and roads are concerned and this
remains a major handicap for us. We currently
try to build as much as our budget allows
us and hope that we will have a better network
with good connections within ten years.
We try to make the transport system as safe
and fast as possible. We also strive to
comply with the European corridors.
What will be your main actions to improve
this during the next two years?
We are currently building four motorways
and within two years motorways D8 and D5,
which is on the German border, should be
finished. We are also building two railway
corridors and we would like these corridors
to be functioning fully within the European
transport system. We also hope that the
new terminal at Prague airport will be built
within two years. We have many goals, but
as you asked about the next two years, we
are trying to be realistic.
The telecommunication sector is undergoing
a liberalization process. How are you adapting
the regulations to this liberalization?
And how do you perceive the introduction
of competition on this market?
The Czech Republic has decided to use a
method of step by step liberalization. We
have a legal framework, which needs to be
discussed and adapted to the European law,
and since 2001, the fixed line providers
have to allow access to their lines by other
providers. There are also other regulations
concerning the operator with the biggest
share in the market to prevent him from
being too dominant. This amendment to the
telecommunications law should be passed
this year and another amendment will be
passed next year. We want to totally comply
with the EU regulations and have a fully
liberated market with the needed laws.
The Czech Republic is now in the final
stage of its accession negotiations. How
will this affect the telecommunications
sector?
This is a fundamental question because the
telecommunications market is going through
important changes, even in Western European
countries, and we expect some turbulences
on the Czech market as well. This is why we
have opted for a step by step liberalization
as we see it as a good environment, which
supports competition, and we are working with
strong partners from the EU. I believe that
competition is strong enough and I do not
expect new operators to be able to succeed
on the Czech market. When I look at the European
telecommunications market, I believe that
we may have more surprises. |
Liberalization of the market also means
to privatize Cesky Telecom. What are your
expectations for this? And do you believe
that this could bring a new player on the
market?
We have decided to privatize the state
share in Cesky Telecom, which already has
a strategic partner. We expect the new owner
to restructure the company and introduce
new services, and apart from voice services
they will concentrate on other services
and hopefully this segment will grow better
and larger.
Are these different developments bringing
the Czech Republic on the way to becoming
an information society? And how will this
further help to develop the Czech economy?
I believe that telecommunications is a
necessary and fundamental condition for
economic development. It is fundamental
for the modern economy. I am pleased that
we have been able to privatize the state
share of Cesky Telecom and that this will
enable free competition on the market as
this is the only way to modernize and provide
new services.
Transportation and telecommunications
are two aspects, which are integrated into
the global world. Considering this, how
is your cooperation with EU member countries
in general and France in particular?
Regarding the transportation sector, it
is very important for us to cooperate with
our neighbours and we need to improve our
communication with them. This cooperation
has been present for a long time and we
are trying to increase it, especially with
EU member states. We are sorry that there
has been a protective policy to limit access
to the transportation market and we are
not very happy about this as it installs
a transition period, during which the access
to the EU market will be limited for Czech
transporters. This is not very good for
mutual relations between countries, but
I believe that it is probably due to a limited
knowledge of our country and that these
protected measures will be cancelled when
the Czech Republic will enter the EU.
Regarding the relationship with France,
we cooperate in air transportation, as Czech
Airlines is a member of Sky Team with Air
France. We also cooperate together on road
transportation and we find it very useful.
I am very happy with the development and
production of buses through the cooperation
between Renault V.I., Iveco and Karosa.
Since then, 3000 busses made in the Czech
Republic are in use in France.
I am also glad that the French investors
have discovered the Czech Republic and are
now the second biggest investor in the country.
I believe that this is a good opportunity
to work together and cooperate in third
world countries. As the Czech Republic has
a lot of experience in countries, which
are east from ours, it could be an opportunity
for French investors. I would like the Czech
Republic to further improve business and
political relationships with France as I
consider France as an example of a free
country and this is an example to follow.
What do you see as your biggest challenge
in this position for the near future?
The biggest chance is to take part in becoming
a part of a civilized democratic Europe. And
we need to modestly accept the fact that not
all of our opinions are good and that we need
to cooperate with the EU to find the best
solution. This is the biggest opportunity
of my life and this is why I am in politics.
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V.I.P. INTERVIEWS
