Yanukovych to visit Czech Republic in April

Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych will visit the Czech Republic on April 23-24, Special Envoy for Eastern Partnership at the Czech Foreign Ministry Petr Mares said.

"The visit is planned. It is to take place on April 23-24," the Czech diplomat said at a press briefing on Thursday, answering a question from Interfax-Ukraine.

According to him, this will be a return visit after that of Czech President Milos Zeman to Ukraine in 2013. The Ukrainian president will also participate in the summit dedicated to the Eastern Partnership program, which is scheduled for April, Mares said.

The event will be attended by the presidents of the five countries of the Eastern Partnership initiative, Belarus will be represented at the level of prime minister. The summit will also be attended by representatives of the EU, Sweden and Poland, as the initiators of the Eastern Partnership, as well as Greece, which is currently holding the presidency of the EU.

With regard to the reports that the city authorities of Prague refused to participate in the organization of the Ukrainian president's visit, the Czech foreign ministry's envoy said: "Yes, it is true that the mayor of Prague said that he was not going to invite Yanukovych."

According to the diplomat, if the Ukrainian president visits Prague, the city authorities will not conduct any of the measures customary for receiving a president.

In particular, Yanukovych will not be invited to the traditional reception at the town hall.