"I guess I gotta learn in Czech" – so Radosław Sikorski replied to 1 of the entries about him, which, after the Munich safety conference, virtually flooded the Czech Internet.
The Czechs rapidly began comparing with their minister. They wrote about shame, shame and shame. About Sikorski embarrassing him. And they did not mock Petr Macinka as a weak card for the Czech Republic.
"Such a abroad minister should not hold a position in global politics" Martin Kupka, president of the Civic Democratic Party, struck him.
Petr Macinka, who has been the head of the MFA since December 2025, has made his debut at global salons since the clash with Sikorski in Munich – and Hillary Clinton. Then there was a visit to Poland and again a gathering with Sikorski. Finally, he was unexpectedly praised by Donald Trump.
"Great occupation in debate with Hillary Clinton on various topics, including her absurd views on gender. Say hello to everyone in your wonderful country!" – wrote the president of the United States.
Five days and instant fame. Even in the Czech Republic, no 1 expected 1 debate to draw specified attention to it. Who is the Czech novice so rapidly spotted by Trump, whom the Czechs compare to Sikorski? And why did this happen to X, like this one: "Friends of the Czechs, you envy us Radek Sikorski, and we envy you Petr Pavl?".
The match between Macinka and Sikorski from Munich is simply a hit
The celebrated Czech portal Seznam Zpravy writes: "The Czech abroad Minister, whose first global speech was to be a proof of diplomatic competence, met with ridicule and criticism, while president Pavel gained global recognition".
One can say – vice versa than in Poland. Interestingly, both MFA heads are in conflict with the presidents, and the dispute in the Czech Republic on the line the head of the MFA-president even led thousands of people to the streets in February, who are walled behind president Petr Pavlem.
But first things first. Let's start with the ministers.
The head of the MFA has had years of diplomatic experience. At global salons he takes a circular of applause. His speeches are very loud, quoted by abroad media. besides after the Munich conference, the Polish net reacted: "First class of diplomacy", "Master", "Radosław Sikorski quoted by the full world, his words become a vortex" etc., etc.
The Czech Minister of Experience has no experience. He is the leader of the highly right-wing Eurosceptic Motoristé sobě organization (Motorized), which first got into parliament in 2025 (it won 6.8 percent of the votes and 13 seats, as of November forms a coalition with ANO and SPD). Macinka, who had previously been known to have collaborated with erstwhile president Vaclav Klaus, then became an MP for the first time.
After a conference in Munich, erstwhile Sikorski disproved his thesis 1 by one, the Czech net responded, "I am not amazed that the recording of Makinka's duel with Sikorski from Munich is specified a hit," "Sikorski teaches him live the absolute foundations of parliamentary democracy", "Sikorski trained Macinka".
The launch even noted Politico: "In its German-language newsletter today, Sikorski wrote that in an open forum he gave Macince an accelerated course of operation of the European Union for right-wing populists," Ceske Noviny wrote.
The president met with interest, head of the MFA with ridicule
The presidents are the another way around. And politically, and in terms of experience, they're different poles. In Poland, the president is simply a novice at global salons. He did not even fly to Munich, but his envoy went to Donald Trump's Peace Council, which most states boycotted. During this time, Karol Nawrocki besides amazed the declaration of atomic weapons.
Meanwhile, Petr Pavel, president of the Czech Republic since 2023, abroad is seen as 1 of the most pro-Western leaders in Central Europe. He has a long, vast experience in NATO and peace missions to the United Nations. And he was present in Munich. How was he picked up there?
Seznam Zpravy's portal said: "While president Petr Pavel met in Munich with interest and applause for his function in the ammunition initiative, Macinka faced even greater ridicule for any of his statements during the Clinton debate".
I don't think both of you and Macinka are truly into each other. In Munich, they followed different paths. On the side, the situation seems curiosistic. Besides, our Polish looks the same, although – we must admit – the Sikorski-Nawrocki gathering happened. I don't think this is happening in the Czech Republic right now.
What is it about the Czech government-president dispute?
The dispute on the Czech government-president of power has been going on for weeks. Kind of like ours. Only in Poland, Karol Nawrocki says that the Prime Minister will not tell him where to fly. He's the 1 who wants to lead his abroad policy. And the head of the MFA must remind him that Poland "the president represents abroad policy, which is formulated by the Council of Ministers in accordance with Article 146 of the Constitution".
W The Czech Republic is alternatively the head of the MFA threatening the President. He even announced that he would ignore the President's Chancellery and accused the president of breaking the constitution. He besides says Pavel is acting like the president of the opposition.
In the background is simply a dispute over nominations, but different from Poland. In our country, Karol Nawrocki does not accept ambassadorial or judicial nominations. In the Czech Republic, Petr Pavel does not agree to a ministerial nomination for partymate Macinka. but the social reception of this refusal is definitely different. What is it?
A dispute over Philip Turk. The president's talking about blackmail.
It's about the Environment Minister's seat for Philip Turk of the Motorized Party. In the autumn of last year he was considered as 1 of the candidates for head of the MFA, but his racist and xenophobic entries which he published on social media came to light.
In the end, Macink was appointed as interim minister of the environment. However, he would like his colleague to take over. But the president says no.
In February, the Czechs learned that Macinka was trying to force the president. That his advisor received a text from the minister, in which he threatened that if there was no nomination, Pavel would not preside over the delegation to the NATO summit. The president reported this at an emergency press conference:
– I consider the words of the abroad Minister in the text messages to be an effort at blackmail. I believe that this is unacceptable and totally unacceptable in our democratic conditions.
What does Macinka say?
– The president is utilized to the government jumping around him on a whistle. possibly he thought it would continue. If he behaves like the president of the opposition, contrary to today's government program, he will gotta get utilized to the fact that we will besides communicate with him as opposition," he said during the tv debate (quote for Euronews).
Great support for the Czech President
The dispute became so heated that in February the Czechs were already on the streets twice. On 1 February, even 90,000 people in Prague showed support for Petr Pavl. And on February 15, thousands of Czechs manifested them in almost 400 localities.
According to Euronews, 600,000 people signed a petition to support the President. The NGO Million Moments for Democracy, which collects them, wants to make it to a million.
What's next? Well, we're not the only ones with a political cabaret.
