Nic cannot be done by itself, so even for the Czech Republic to become a member of the European Union, specific work by specific people was needed. Perhaps surprisingly, there were not many of them – the Czech Republic was never full of those who understood the union and dealt with it in depth. We have compiled a portrait of four of them for you. Some names are well-known, others will tell something only to a narrow circle of connoisseurs. All four of them, in their own way, made a fundamental contribution to the fact that on May 1, 20 years will pass since the Czech Republic joined the Union.
Pavel Telička (58)
Chief negotiator. Pavel Telička played a key role in connection with the accession to the EU. And he also trained Zeman’s ministers at the time.
Photo: HN – Lukáš Bíba
Pavlo Telička managed something that would hardly be possible today. And it is not about the Czech accession to the EU, in which Telička, as the main Czech negotiator, was probably the most involved. He was able to repeatedly lock up the ministers of the government of the then Prime Minister Miloš Zeman in one place, specifically in Prague’s Liechtenstein Palace, where they turned into students. They came there for regular seminars, where Telička and his people explained to them how the EU actually works and what the Czech accession talks entail. “They all gritted their teeth and hated it. But hopefully they at least got something out of it,” recalls Telička.
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