Feb 27 2009
Obama is coming to Prague
Obama is coming to Prague
Image source
No, that is not a hoax, there is every chance that we get a US-presidential visit to Prague this spring! Most likely in the first days of April. Some background information, observations and opinions from yours truly:
First of all he has not -yet- confirmed the visit, but also not denied that he might come. If he comes, it will be around the 4/5th April to attend the EU-U.S. summit, an event that this year is actually due to take place in the US but might instead take place in the capital of the current holder of the EU presidency – the Czech Republic. Obama’s planned international travels for April include already the G20 economic summit in London and the NATO summit in France and Germany that marks the alliance’s 60th anniversary. The invitation to Obama was issued by President Vaclav Klaus, not known to be an enthusiastic supporter of the EU by the way. There is no confirmation whatsoever for a US-presidential visit to Prague but it seems a preparation team from the US will arrive in Prague beginning of March…
What will such an important visit mean for Prague? Two things: Increase of visitors and a hell of a security set up. The visit of President George W. Bush in 2007 has cost 30 million CZK, that is US$ 1.4 Mill, not peanuts!
If he comes, Obama will come to Prague at the end of his European tour and he might want to talk and/ or has to talk about the future of the planned stationing of parts of the U.S. missile defense system in the Czech Republic. But if he stays too long in Europe he might well be accused of “sightseeing” and the wasting of tax-payers money by his critics at home. Tough call, Mr. President!
Czech foreign Minister Karel Schwarzenberg, made the following interesting comment: “It’s our impression that the new [US-American] administration doesn’t just care about the fat cats — Germany, France and Britain — but they care about the small countries, too.”
Will he come? What do you think? What does matter to the so-called “leader of the free world” and “most powerful man on earth”? A visit to a small country like the Czech Republic or just the “big fat cats”?
Our president — our CURRENT president — cares about people, then about nations. He’s that kind of guy. Since the people in Prague are every bit as worthy as those anywhere else — and more than some I could name — I’d say it’s a good bet. Sorry about the security thing, though. Lots of whackjobs out there.
That is pretty cool! I hope he does have a chance to visit Czech!