August 1, 2023
News
In the summer of 2023, Caritas Czech Republic handed over medical equipment to the Zhvania Children's Pediatric Hospital to establish a long-term care unit for children with severe disabilities. Petr Mikyska, former Ambassador of the Czech Republic in Georgia participated in the event. Following the official ceremony, we had a chance to hold a final interview with him in the mentioned role.
Georgia is one of the priority countries for the Czech Republic to support. With the projects funded by the Czech Development Agency, various sectors, be it healthcare and social protection or rural development and environmental protection, have significantly improved. How would you assess the results of our joint efforts on the systemic level as well as at the grassroots?
It was a very nice period for me, mainly because of the cooperation you have just mentioned. Already coming to Georgia not only I was aware of the importance of our cooperation, but I was also bringing some of my contributions and my future plans. I wanted to promote this cooperation even more. The results really passed my expectations – we have been working hard for this for more than three years and be it cooperation with Caritas Czech Republic, be it cooperation with People in Need, state institutions, with the Georgian NGOs, it was a very pleasant experience, it was very useful experience and very fruitful experience. You said grassroots, It is a wonderful word but close to the people, working with the people – it was one of the most beautiful experiences I had.
Today within the project "Establishment of Children’s Long-term and Palliative Care Services in Georgia", Caritas Czech Republic handed over equipment to the Zhvania Children Pediatric Hospital which will help the medical personnel to treat more effectively children in need of long-term and palliative care. How do you think this intervention will change the lives of the project beneficiaries under state care?
The project was conceived based on the needs of the healthcare system of Georgia. I am very grateful to my colleagues that they could identify that niche which was not tackled before. Now we have the methodologies, we have the procedures established, and the medical equipment which was handed over today. We also hope it will be replicated in other institutions and in other hospitals in the regions of Georgia. Unfortunately, we are dealing with a very sad situation in the lives of the beneficiaries, a situation which requires very special and specialized treatment and we are happy that we could provide means and experience for this care and treatment.
Georgia and the Czech Republic have years of friendship. How do you see the ongoing partnership between the two countries and the way of deepening them?
Georgia and Czechia have been cooperating traditionally for the last thirty years. This year, it is its anniversary. Yes, we are at the historically highest level bilaterally but also in terms of the European integration of Georgia and the process of its Euro-Atlantic integration. We are developing our cooperation in many areas, and many spheres, be it politics, be it economics, be it human contacts, or culture. And I think there is no sphere in everyday life where Czechia would not be seen, and Georgia is presenting Czechia as well. This is very encouraging, but I am sure there is still room for improvement – Czech investments are traditionally among the highest of foreign direct investments and it will continue. Well, I am leaving in several days and my successor is already bringing new ideas. So, I am very optimistic that these relations will be always way up, always growing and people who are already very close to each other will become even closer.
What are the thoughts you are leaving our country with – what impressed you the most in Georgia and what will you miss the most?
I knew the hospitality of the Georgian people, I knew the political atmosphere and political development here. I knew the situation in culture, for example, or tourism, so it was not new. But it was very positive to see all the spheres of Georgian society develop, to grow and I hope it will continue in the future. Czechia is here to help, Czechia is here to assist. One of the very important tasks will be the European integration – we want to see Georgia in the European Union, and we are doing everything possible for that. We hope that all parts of Georgian society will be united in this wish and hope for Europe. We hope that we will be one day, a not very long time from here, both in the European Union and Georgia will be a valuable part of it. So, the memories are one thing but also the wish to come back and visit places I have been to before, come back and see how Georgia is developing.
