Andrej Babi\u0161 began his address to the United Nations General Assembly in\nNew York on Wednesday with a reference to the fact the Czech Republic is\nthis year marking the 30th anniversary of the Velvet Revolution. \n<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\nWithin 15 years of those momentous changes the country had joined both NATO\nand the EU, the Czech prime minister told world leaders.\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\nBut Mr. Babi\u0161 also emphasised that his government was looking to the\nfuture. \n<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n\u201cWe have a clear vision of and for 2030. It is based on exceptional\nsupport for research, development and innovation.<\/em> \n<\/p>\n\n\n\n \n\u201cIn this light, we as the government approved an innovation strategy\nunder the main motto \u2018Czech Republic \u2013 the country for the future\u2019.<\/em> \n<\/p>\n\n\n\n \n\u201cUnder the same motto we will present a national economic strategy in\nwhich we will link science, industry, energy and education and will include\nthe application of the most advanced technologies, from the full\ndigitisation of the economy to the implementation of artificial\nintelligence in many sectors.\u201d<\/em>\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n \nThe Czech leader also made reference to the EU, which he described as the\nworld\u2019s most successful peace project. He said the Council of Europe\nought in the future to serve as a coalition government for the continent.\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n \nA good part of Andrej Babi\u0161\u2019s speech was given over to the environment.\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n The billionaire businessman said governments were having to walk a fine line between fulfilling climate targets and delivering for their own people. <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cOur citizens expect us to provide them with the productive and\nsustainable jobs that they will not lose due to decreased competiveness\nwhich will occur if our countries adopt tougher, more ambitious measures to\ncombat climate change than the rest of the world.\u201d<\/em>\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n \nThe Czech PM said more should be done to ensure that renewable energy\nbecame more affordable and pointed out that nuclear energy was also a\nzero-carbon source. He also took a swipe at Swedish teenage activist Greta\nThunberg. \n<\/p>\n\n\n\n