The European Movement in the Czech Republic held its annual General Assembly on Wednesday 15th of June 2011. As announced a year ago a long-serving President of the Czech EM, Mr. Edvard Outrata has demit his position and together with the Presidency nominated Mr. Josef Zieleniec the new President of the Movement. Mr. Josef Zieleniec – Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic (1993-1997), Senator (2002-2004) and Member of the European Parliament (2004-2009) – was elected unanimously by the General Assembly. Also three other members were additionally elected to the new Presidency.
Mr. Zieleniec explained what he sees as the main mission for the European Movement today: “In these days we are facing in the European Union serious challenges connected with the economic crises and jeopardising the common currency Euro and at the same time we are confronted with consequences of the revolutions in North Africa and the Middle East. It is more important than ever that the European countries act united and speak with one voice. I strongly believe that the current situation requires more active engagement and firm commitment from the European civil society. It is a special role for the European Movements in our countries to counter any disintegrative tendencies and communicate frankly with the citizens.”
Members of the Presidency of the European Movement in the Czech Republic
Josef ZIELENIEC – President
Mr. Josef Zieleniec was the first Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic (1993-1997) and under his direction the country started its integration to the European Union. He was a Senator (2000-2004) and represented the Czech Senate in The Convention on the Future of Europe which drafted the Treaty establishing a Constitution for Europe. As the Member of the European Parliament (2004-2009) he served in the Committee on Foreign Affairs and the Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs and focused especially on the transatlantic relations, energy security and EU-Russia relations. He was member of the Bureau of the Group of the European People’s Party (Christian Democrats) and European Democrats. Currently Mr. Zieleniec is a professor at the New York University in Prague.
Economist by education, Mr. Zieleniec, worked prior to 1989 at the Research Institute of Technology and Economics and the Institute of Economics of the Czechoslovak Academy of Sciences. After the Velvet Revolution he co-founded and became the first Director of the Centre for Economic Research and Graduate Education (CERGE) at Charles University in Prague – the first American-style economics Ph.D. program in Central and Eastern Europe. At that time Mr. Zieleniec was appointed associate professor of economics and was a member of the Scientific Council of the Faculty of Social Sciences, Charles University. He is a co-founder of the Civic Democratic Party (ODS) and acted as its Vice Chairman since 1991. In 1997 Mr. Zieleniec resigned from his governmental and party functions in protest at non-transparent financing of the party.
Edvard OUTRATA – Vice President
Mr. Edvard Outrata served as Senator of the Parliament of the Czech Republic from 2000 to 2006 and its Vice-President 2004-06. He served as a President of the Czech Statistical Office until 1999. He was firstly elected as the President of the EM Czech Republic in 2004. Mr. Outrata was the Vice-President of European Movement International.
Martin POTUCEK – Vice President
Mr. Martin Potucek is Full Professor of Public and Social Policy at the Faculty of Social Sciences, Charles University in Prague. He established and runs the Center for Social and Economic Strategies (CESES) there since 2000.
Ladislav RÍHA – Vice President
Mr. Ladislav Ríha has been working at the Ministry of Finance of the Czech Republic in different positions related to tax administration and international tax relations. He is Vice-President of the Czech EM since 2004.
Alena GAJDUŠKOVÁ – Presidency Member
Mrs. Alena Gajdušková is Senator of the Parliament of the Czech Republic since 2002, currently Vice – President of the Senate. She is spokesperson of the Czech Social Democrat Party Shadow Cabinet for research and science since 2010.
Jitka SEITLOVÁ – Presidency Member
Mrs. Jitka Seitlová was Senator of the Parliament of the Czech Republic since 1996. In 2007 she resigned her Senate mandate to assume an elected position as Deputy Ombudsman – Public Defender of Rights.
Lenka DIMUNOVÁ – Presidency Member
Mrs. Lenka Dimunová is member of the cabinet of Mr. Karel Schwarzenberg, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic. She was advisor and assistant to the Senator and Deputy Speaker Edvard Outrata.
Roman PAVLÍK – Presidency Member
Mr. Roman Pavlík works as an Associate Director at the international communication agency Fleishman-Hillard. He co-founded and managed number of EU-oriented projects and initiatives, including the Club of Young Europeans.
Radko HOKOVSKÝ – Presidency Member
Mr. Radko Hokovský is Chairman of the European Values Association – a think-tank, President of the European Values Network, and lecturer and researcher at the Institute of Political Studies at the Charles University in Prague.
Contact:
Mr. Radko Hokovský
Presidency Member for International Cooperation
E-mail: hokovsky@europeanmovement.cz