Estonia and the Czech Republic

17.11.2011

Bilateral relations

Relations between Estonia and the Czech Republic have been historically good and co-operation close.

Soon after Estonia’s independence, Czechoslovakia was covered by the Embassy of the Republic of Estonia in Berlin, and after that by the embassy in Warsaw. The first diplomat to permanently reside in Prague was charge d'affaires Philip Kaljot, who arrived in January 1934. The diplomatic relations that were disrupted between Estonia and Czechoslovakia in March 1939 following the occupation of Czechoslovakia were restored on 9 September 1991. On 1 January 1993, diplomatic relations were automatically transferred to the successor states of Czechoslovakia.

The Embassy of the restored Republic of Estonia started work in Prague in August 1997, headed by chargé d’affaires a.i. Riho Laanemäe. Estonia’s first ambassadors to the Czech Republic were Toivo Tasa and Mart Laanemäe – both residing in Vienna. The first Estonian ambassador to reside in Prague, Eve-Külli Kala, represented Estonia from 2002-2006, after which Mati Vaarmann was our ambassador to the Czech Republic until July 2010. On 17 September 2010, credentials were presented to President Václav Klaus by Estonia’s new ambassador Lembit Uibo.

Vladimír Bulinský has been the Estonian honorary consul in Brno since 4 June 2010 (consular area covering the regions of South Moravia and Zlin).

The Czechoslovakian consulate in Tallinn started work in 1921 and the embassy was established in 1928. A chargé d’affaires a.i. worked in Tallinn, while the ambassador to Czechoslovakia was accredited to Warsaw. The Czech Embassy in Tallinn was opened on 15 May 2000. From May 2000 to August 2004, the Czech Republic was represented by Ambassador Vladislav Labudek, whose successor was Ambassador Miloš Lexa. The Czech ambassador to Estonia has been Alexandr Langer since 21 July 2008. The Czech defence attaché Colonel Zdeněk Kubíček resides in Vilnius.

Visits

The Czech Republic has been more active in parliamentary relations. In September 2006, a delegation from the environmental commission visited the Estonian parliament, and in September 2007, Chairman of the Czech Senate P. Sobotka came for an official visit.
A delegation of the constitutional commission of the Czech senate visited Estonia in June 2009, and a data protection delegation came in November of that year. In March 2010 Estonia was visited by a delegation from the Czech parliament’s EU affairs commission.

In the Riigikogu, the Estonian-Czech parliamentary group has been established and is headed by Tõnis Kõiv. After the 2010 parliamentary elections a Czech-Baltic interparliamentary friendship group was established in the House of Representatives; its chairman is Radim Jirout.

In March 2010, Prime Minister Andrus Ansip met with Prime Minister Jan Fischer. Czech Foreign Minister Jan Kohout along with a 10-member delegation participated in the NATO foreign ministers’ meeting in Tallinn in April 2010.
Foreign Ministry Secretary General Marten Kokk visited the Czech Republic from 3-4 June 2010, during which consultations took place and the Estonian honorary consulate in Brno was opened.

In November 2010 Czech Foreign Minister Karel Schwarzenberg came to Estonia, visiting both Tartu and Tallinn.
In addition to high-level visits, consultations between the foreign ministries are also held.
The Czech Republic is also an important defence co-operation partner to Estonia. Czech aircraft participated in the Baltic air policing mission in 2009 and the Czech Parliament has approved the Czech Republic’s participation in guarding Baltic airspace in 2012 as well.

Agreements

• Agreement on the Abolishment of Visa Requirements (came into force 24.09.93);
• Convention for the Avoidance of Double Taxation and the Prevention of Fiscal Evasion with Respect to Taxes on Income and on Capital (came into force 24.05.95);
• Agreement for the Promotion and Reciprocal Protection of Investments (came into force 18.07.95);
• Agreement on International Road Transport of Passengers and Goods (came into force 31.05.00);
• Agreement on Cooperation in the Field of Culture, Education and Science (came into force 19.11.03);
• Agreement on Mutual Protection of Classified Information (came into force 22.11.03).

Economic relations

TRADE

In 2010 the Czech Republic rose to 20th place among Estonia’s trade partners with a turnover of 156.3 million EUR (0.9% of Estonia’s total trade) and a balance of -53.4 million euros. Estonian exports to the Czech Republic totalled 51.4 million euros in value. The main articles of export were metals and metal products, machinery and equipment, wood and wood products, and textiles.

Imports from the Czech Republic to Estonia in 2010 totalled 104.9 million EUR in value. Imports from the Czech Republic, which has a strong tradition of industry, were primarily machinery and equipment and transport vehicles. Other imports were plastic and rubber products as well as products made of stone, ceramic and glass.

A considerable setback in economic relations between the two nations was the departure of Baltika Group from the Czech market in October 2009, when clothing stores were closed in Prague and Ostrava.

INVESTMENTS

The volume of reciprocal direct investments remains modest. According to Bank of Estonia data, as of 31 December 2010 the amount of Estonian direct investments in the Czech Republic had fallen to 0.7 million EUR (on 31 December 2009 it was 3.3 million euros). Investments are mostly made in the wholesale and retail trade, the transportation and inventory sector and the real estate sector.

The volume of Czech investments in Estonia has grown and as of 31 December 2010 totalled 5.1 million EUR (on 31 December 2009 it was 3.8 million euros). Investments are primarily made in the transportation and inventory sector, wholesale and retail trade. According to the commercial register, as of 1 April 2010 there were 21 businesses with Czech participation functioning in Estonia.

TOURISM

Estonian tourists have always taken a great interest in the Czech Republic with the majority travelling to Prague, Karlovy Vary and Karlstein. The interest of the Czech tourists towards northern Estonia has considerably grown.

Every year the Czech Republic is visited by about 20 000 Estonian tourists, and about 6 000 Czech tourists come to Estonia each year. It would be practical for Estonian tourism companies to participate in Czech tourism fairs, since the single flight route operating between Tallinn and Prague (opened in 2003) was not enough to significantly increase the number of Czech tourists heading to Estonia.

Cultural relations

MUSIC

In recent years, Estonian music has been performed and Estonian musicians have performed in Czechia rather often.

At the renowned Prague Spring Festival in the spring of 2006, the Hortus Musicus ensemble performed. In the same summer, friends of music could listen to jazz pianist Tõnu Naissoo and in the framework of celebrating the anniversary of the Republic of Estonia also to the Setu folk music ensemble Kuldatsäuk. The Virumaa Youth Orchestra has been among the participants in the Prague International Choir Festival. The final concert of the Music Forum Hradec Kralove in 2006 bore the title “Estonsky hlas pokoje”, which can be translated as “the voice of Estonia peace” or “the sound of Estonian silence”. The Czech Chamber Choir and Kühn Mixed Choir performed Arvo Pärt’s “Te Deum” and Erkki-Sven Tüür’s “Requiem”. In December, the guest conductor of two symphony concerts was Jüri Alperten.

With the help of the Estonian Embassy in 2007, concerts by three Estonian choirs—the Saaremaa Men’s Choir, Viimsi Mixed Choir, and the Mixed Choir of the Estonia Society—were performed in Prague, Česky Krumlov, Karlovy Vary, and Jihlava. In terms of classical music, Arvo Pärt is as valued as ever – his “Spiegel” earned the Czech Association for the Protection of Authors’ Rights annual award for the most-performed classical piece written by a foreign composer.

In 2008, Estonia brought many lovely awards home from the Czech Republic. In March, the St. Michael’s Boys’ Choir, directed by Kadri Hunt, was awarded a gold medal in the Gregorian category at the religious choir contest Mundi Cantant in Olomouc. In June, the ETV Childrens’ Choir returned from the Olomouc International Choir Festival with the highest marks and a gold medal. The Estonian Embassy in Prague also celebrated the 90th anniversary of the Republic of Estonia musically with the concert “Crossover Organ & Overdrive Guitar”, performed by the well-known trio Jüri Leiten, Andres Uibo and Ain Varts.

On 26 April 2009 a concert by Estonian pianist Peep Lassmann and American cellist with Latvian roots Josef Feigelson took place in Prague; it was dedicated to the 200th anniversary of the birth of composer Felix Mendelsson-Bartholdy.

On 16 June 2010, a concert by the New Tallinn Trio (Uus Tallinna Trio) entitled “Between Two Mirrors” (“Kahe peegli vahel”) took place at the Bethlehem Chapel in Prague. The concert was mainly dedicated to the works of Arvo Pärt. On 3 September 2010 music fans in Ostrava could enjoy the First Symphony of Russian composer Galina Ustvolskaya performed at the Ostrava House of Culture by the Ostrava Philharmonic, conducted by Petr Kotiku and with soprano soloists from the Estonian Boys’ Choir Heldur Harry Põlda and Voldemar Kauts. Interest in Estonian music is also demonstrated by the fact that in September 2010 a special edition of the Czech music magazine “His Voice” dedicated to Estonian music was published.

ART

On 30 April 2005, the biggest exhibition of all times of paintings of the Pallas art school was opened at Egon Schiele Art Museum and the following day, on 1 May 2005, also the personal exhibition of Merike Hallik-Õkva was in the framework of an international applied art exhibition opened in the Vaclav’s Cellars of Český Krumlov Palace. In the framework of the annual Art and Interior fair, the exhibition of the Union of Estonian Architects entitled “Home 2002-2006” reached Prague.

From 2 October 2009 until 10 January 2010 the exhibit “Crossing Frontiers” was on display in the Prague City Gallery, which included the works of Estonian artist Ene-Liis Semper, among others.

From 17 August to 16 September an exhibit of Ilon Wikland’s drawings was on display in the children’s section of the Prague City Library. The exhibit was opened by Ilon Wikland herself.

The Czech Embassy was remarkably active with introducing the Czech Republic in Estonia in 2008—in January the embassy organised the exhibit “Vaclav Havel in Europe,” in February there was an exhibit about the events in Prague in 1968, and in April they displayed the exhibit “Jews in the Czech Republic and Moravia”.

THEATRE, CINEMA, DANCE

In 2001 the feature film “The Bear's Heart”, made through the co-operation of Estonian and Czech cinematographers, had its premiere. Arvo Iho, producer of the film, is also connected to the Czech Republicthrough the fact that his “Observer” was awarded a début prize at the renowned Karlovy Vary Film Festival in 1989.

The 2003 the 38th International Karlovy Vary Film Festival was special for Estonia. For the first time a retrospective of Estonian films was shown. The following Estonian films were screened: Kaljo Kiisk’s "Hullumeelsus" (Insanity), Arvo Iho’s "Vaatleja" (The Observer), Mati Põldre’s "Need vanad armastuskirjad" (Those Old Love Letters), Grigori Kromanov’s "Viimne reliikvia" (The Last Relic), Aare Tilk’s "Tule tagasi, Lumumba" (Come Back, Lumumba) and Sulev Keedus’ "Georgica". The Estonian films were shown to full houses and received good reviews.

Tartu Student Theatre in 2006 performed at the Festival of Independent and Amateur Theatre APOSTROF.

In 2007, Estonia was also represented, as it traditionally is, at the European Film Festival, this time by Peeter Urbla’s film “Shop of Dreams”. Fans of animated films were able to enjoy Priit Pärn’s animated movies at the international animated film festival Anifest in Třebon, where Pärn was also present as a member of the jury. Works by the younger Estonian generations were seen as well — Mihkel Ulk’s short film “Matters of the Heart” was chosen to compete in the Central and Eastern Europe competition in the student film festival Fresh Film Fest in Karlovy Vary.

“The Class”, a film directed by Ilmar Raag, won two prizes at the Karlovy Vary 42nd International Film Festival in July 2007: the Special Jury Prize of the competition program “East of the West” and the Europa Cinemas Label, which was the main prize.

Estonian cinema was also blessed with success in 2008. Kadri Kõusaar’s film “Magnus” won the main prize at Febiofest, the biggest film festival in the Czech Republic and one of the most prestigious international film festivals. One of the focuses of the festival was new Estonian films.

In 2009, Estonian cinema was represented at the European Film Days from 16-30 April by Rene Vilbre’s film “I Was Here” (“Mina olin siin”). Jaak Kilmi’s film “Disco and Atomic War” (“Disko ja tuumasõda”) won the “Silver Eye” award for a full-length documentary film at the Jihlava Documentary Film Festival in October 2009.

On 21 November 2009 an Estonian theatre production reached Czech audiences after a 20-year break—namely Jaan Tätte’s “Crossing the Main Road” (“Ristumine peateega”), which for local audiences was given the subtitle “A Tale of a Goldfish, Estonian Style”. The production was performed for packed houses and was very well received. On 21 October 2010 Jaan Tätte’s “Palju õnne argipäevaks!” premiered in the Příbrami Dvořák Theatre, produced by Lida Engelova.

LITERATURE

Many novels by the famous Czech author Milan Kundera have been translated into Estonian. Also, the stories of Jaroslav Hašek's hero, the gallant soldier Svejk, remain firmly among the favourites of our book-lovers, and during the Soviet period these stories amusingly marked the resistance to the totalitarian regime. Many Estonians know the works of Božena Nemčová, Karel Čapek and Václav Havel, which have been translated into Estonian primarily by Leo Metsar and Küllike Tohver. On 19 June 2007, Leo Metsar was recognised for his contribution to Estonian-Czech cultural relations with the Czech Republic’s honour award “Gratias Agit”. The valiant robber Rumčajs of Václav Čtvtek is certainly well known to a whole generation of Estonians.

Regrettably, the Estonian - Czech literary relations that were booming 15-20 years ago seem to be on the ebb at the present moment. A great blow to these relations was the death in 1999 of Vladimir Mačura, the writer and scholar of literature and a great Estophile, who was also a cavalier of the Cross of Terra Mariana. Mačura's translations made the works of Jaan Kross, Arvo Valton, Mati Unt and several other Estonian writers available to Czech readers in their native language.

In 2010 the Czech translation of Sofi Oksanen’s “Purge” was published, which is why the author and the work in question, as well as the problematic issues it raises, have been covered quite extensively in the Czech media.

In 2004, the publisher LIBRI released a lexicon of Baltic States writers in Czech. Nadežda Slabihoudová, who translated several Estonian literary works and was awarded the 3rd class Order of Terra Mariana for her translations, composed the Estonian section. Four years later, in 2008, with the support of the Estonian Embassy, an updated and corrected edition of the lexicon of Baltic authors was published.

A separate chapter in the cultural relations of the two countries is connected with the activities of the Baltic Sea Union established in the Czechoslovakian Socialist Republic in 1974, which on behalf of the development of cultural relations created ties between Estonian and Czechoslovakian dissidents.

The Czech Estophiles and the local Estonians are connected through the Czech-Estonian Club, which was established in 1991. The number of Estonians permanently staying in Czech is according to different estimates considered to be 40 persons.