Czech Foreign Ministry Discussing Creation Of Business Center In Russia - Official

PRAGUE (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 14th June, 2021) The Czech Foreign Ministry is considering establishing a business center in Russia, where the country's companies will be able to showcase their products and conduct negotiations, the head of the ministry's economic policy department, Marek Svoboda, has said.

According to the newspaper Hospodarske Noviny, the foreign ministry plans to allocate 200,000 Euros ($242,000) for the initiative, which will support Czech companies that are affected by the diplomatic row between the two countries. The center is expected to start functioning in Moscow this fall.

"We are negotiating with the [Czech] Chamber of Commerce and the Union of Industry and Transport, which came forth with the idea to create a business center in Russia itself, following the example of Germany or Austria," Svoboda told the newspaper.

In mid-April, Prague accused Russia's special services of involvement in the 2014 explosions of Vrbetice ammunition depots � allegations that Moscow denied � and went on to expel 18 Russian diplomats. Russia responded by declaring 20 Czech diplomats personae non gratae.