Ambassador Petr KUBERNÁT: “Our priority is to help the EU integration of Georgia - if they wish”

Photo: Caucasian Journal

18.11.2023 (Caucasian Journal) Today Caucasian Journal has the honour to talk with His Excellency Petr KUBERNÁT, the newly appointed Ambassador of the Czech Republic to Georgia. His term in Tbilisi started last August. Mr. Kubernát has an impressive experience in diplomatic and other governmental service, as well as in the private sector.

▶ ქართულად:  Read the Georgian version here.

Alexander KAFFKA, editor-in-chief of CJ: Your Excellency, welcome to Georgia and to Caucasian Journal, we thank you for attention to our readers.  Let me first congratulate you with the Czech national holiday – the Freedom and Democracy Day – which is celebrated on November 17. If I’m correct, throughout your career you have been working primarily in Western Europe. Does Georgia seem like a terra incognita to you? 

Petr KUBERNÁT: I was in Georgia for the first time in 1982. It was during my study at the Taras Shevchenko University in Kiev. I studied international law and international relations there, and my specialization was international economic relations.  We decided with one of my friends to see a little bit outside of Ukraine. So we went to the Caucasus republics, starting with Tbilisi and continuing to Yerevan and Baku.  

It was more than 40 years ago. I still remember the “Tarkhun” – that green lemonade. I like it very much, and I am very glad that I found it again here. Then I remember from that time, there was already the statue – Mother Georgia, and she's still there. And then I remember the Rustaveli Avenue, which was very nice, and now it’s even better and nicer, I think. But all the other things have changed – changed in very positive ways, including the people. So this is my second time in Georgia.

Next meeting of Caucasian Journal Club to discuss Taliban and religious extremism

13.11.2023.  On November 21, Caucasian Journal and International Chamber of Commerce in Georgia have the pleasure to invite you to the Caucasian Journal Club meeting "The Taliban’s Jihad: Why Religious Extremism Will Continue to Threaten World Security" 

After almost 10 years spent in Afghanistan, the Swiss journalist Franz MARTY is going to share his reflections with the Caucasian Journal Club. Franz is a freelance journalist who, between December 2014 and June 2023, including during the Taliban takeover in August 2021, lived and worked in Afghanistan. While there, he conducted exclusive interviews with Taliban (before and after their return to power) as well as unaccompanied investigative reporting from remote and hostile corners of the country.

Mr. Marty is a fellow of the Swiss Institute For Global Affairs and has written for The Diplomat, Jane's, The Afghanistan Analysts Network, Weltwoche, and Neue Zürcher Zeitung, among others. He has also contributed to numerous live broadcasts on CNN, Deutsche Welle, France 24, BBC World Service, and Radio France Internationale.