Czech diplomat Edita Hrdá takes up post of Ambassador to the EU

Veteran diplomat Edita Hrdá took up the post of Czech Ambassador to the European Union on Thursday, replacing Jakub Dürr, who resigned following disagreements with Prime Minister Andrej Babiš over preparations for the Czech Republic’s EU presidency in 2022.

Hrdá had been managing director for the Americas in the European External Action Service of the EU. (EEAS) since 2016. Previously, she served as a Czech ambassador to the United Nations, Argentina and Paraguay and has held various high managerial posts in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Dürr had long argued that CZK 1.24 billion budget the Babiš government set for the Czech EU presidency, roughly one-third that of the previous Czech presidency in 2009, was far too little for the country to organise events and advance its agenda.