Taipei: Vendula VinÅ¡ov¡, daughter of the late Czech Senate President Jaroslav Kubera, recently completed a meaningful journey to Taiwan alongside current Senate President MiloÅ¡ Vystrcil, fulfilling what she described as her father's last wish.
According to Focus Taiwan, VinÅ¡ov¡'s four-day visit to Taiwan concluded on Thursday, where she expressed her belief that her father's mission had been accomplished. In a conversation with CNA and other local media, she shared that if her father had visited Taiwan in 2020 as planned, he would have fallen in love with the country. Kubera, a staunch supporter of Taiwan, had passed away in January 2020, a month before his scheduled trip, due to a heart attack.
Czech media had reported that the Chinese embassy issued a letter threatening repercussions for Czech businesses if Kubera proceeded with his visit. Following Kubera's untimely death, Vystrcil led a significant delegation of political, business, and scientific leaders to Taiwan from August 30 to September 5, 2020, to uphold Kubera's intentions. During a press conference in June 2020, Vystrcil expressed his dismay over China's interference and emphasized the Czech Republic's commitment to freedom, democracy, and independence.
Last week, Vystrcil embarked on his second trip to Taiwan with a 40-member delegation, including VinÅ¡ov¡. When asked if she believed the threats from China contributed to her father's heart attack, VinÅ¡ov¡ affirmed her suspicion, revealing that her father received separate letters from the Chinese Embassy and the Czech Presidential Office, warning him against visiting Taiwan. Despite an investigation by the Czech Senate, no resolution was found.
VinÅ¡ov¡ recalled that her father, who valued democracy and freedom above all, kept his professional and personal struggles separate, appearing unusually distressed during the period of the threats. She emphasized her father's belief in the shared spirit of resistance between the Czech Republic and Taiwan.
Ahead of the trip, Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babiš withheld government aircraft support, fearing it could be perceived as an official endorsement detrimental to Czech business interests in China. Undeterred, Vystrcil and his delegation traveled to Taiwan via a direct commercial flight.
VinÅ¡ov¡, who collected and inscribed pebbles with her father's name and wishes such as "freedom," dispersed them throughout Taipei in his memory. This symbolic act was her way of visiting Taiwan on her father's behalf.
Reflecting on the trip, VinÅ¡ov¡ noted her father's admiration for life and people, and if she could share one aspect of her journey with him, it would be the bravery of the Taiwanese people and the steadfast friendship between Taiwan and the Czech Republic. She concluded by affirming, "What you insisted on doing back then was the right thing to do."