Czechia and Turkey are highly interested in cooperation in the defence industry, the latter interested in final products as well as sharing technology, Czech Chamber of Commerce head Vladimir Dlouhy told journalists.
Turkey has a huge budget and Czechia has products to offer, said Dlouhy who is heading a business delegation accompanying Prime Minister Andrej Babis and Industry and Trade Minister Karel Havlicek on a working visit to Turkey.
Czech company Tatra is in talks with Anadolu Isuzu on the supply of 476 mostly recovery trucks, and Havlicek said decision would made in the next few months. The final figure may be lower but Czechia is interested in the project, he said.
In March, Tatra won a contract to deliver 29 chassis to Turkey. "Negotiations were also held on supplies of radars and specific information systems for different combat vehicles," Havlicek said.
At talks with the head of the Turkish defence industry, the delegation provided information on five Czech firms involved in aviation, car production and information systems development, Havlicek said on Tuesday.
Industry and Technology Minister Mustafa Varank spoke about bureaucratic problems at a Czech-Turkish economic forum today, said Dlouhy.
According to him, Turkey has made a big progress in infrastructure, for example.
After a meeting with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Ankara on Tuesday, Babis said he would like to address construction firms in Istanbul today that might help Czechia with motorway construction.
Dlouhy said he was in favour of opening the Czech market for Turkish builders who work on projects in Europe in consortiums with European financial institutions.
Babis and Havlicek today visited the Teknokent park located in Istanbul's Technical University campus, and appreciated the environment that suits the needs of fledgeling entrepreneurs and larger firms and promotes their cooperation with scientists and innovators.
Turkey has made extensive investments in science and research over the past decade thanks to which it has become one of the leaders in the region is this respect, Havlicek told journalists.
