PM says “Czechia” will not replace country's official name

Prime Minister Bohuslav Sobotka reiterated at the government’s session on Monday that the new shortened, informal name proposed for the Czech Republic, Czechia, will in no way replace the official name. The prime minister also rejected criticism by the minister for regional affairs, saying that adopting of the shortened version would not affect the drawing of European funds, as she had suggested. The Minister for Regional Development Karla Šlechtová, not in favour of the shortened version, pointed out that around 1.1 billion crowns had been spent on marketing the country as the Czech Republic – Land of Stories as a tourist destination.

Author: Jan Velinger