Rt. Hon. Dr. Cyril Svoboda (Czech Republic)

Cyril Svoboda started his political career as an advisor to the Prime Minister of Czechoslovakia on issues of human rights, restitution and relations between church and state.

He then became a Member of the European Commission for Democracy through Law (Council of Europe) before becoming Vice-President of the Legislative Council of the Czech Government.

In Government he held the positions of Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Minister of Justice, Minister for Regional Development, Minister of the Interior and was the Chief Negotiator for EU accession. He was a Member of the Chamber of Deputies for 12 years.

He is also a Lecturer in the Faculty of Law of Charles University and was previously a Member of the Scientific Council of Faculty of Law and Faculty of International Relations at the University of Economics in Prague.

He holds the Grand Decoration of Honour in Gold with Sash of the Republic of Austria, the Grand Merit Cross with Star and Sash of the Federal Republic of Germany and is an Officer of the Legion of Honour of the French Republic.