Czech Republic Expands Its Army And Increases The Defence Spending

According to the CTK Agency, quoting Mlada fronta Dnes, the Czech Republic is willing to increase the number of soldiers from 16600 up to 24000 until 2025. At the same time, a military qualifications system is planned to be implemented, which is to make it possible to introduce compulsory military service, should a threat emerge. The expansion plans regarding the Czech army must be approved by the Parliament.

A few months ago, the representatives of the coalition parties, that are governing the Czech Republic, have signed a memorandum regarding gradual increase of the defence spending, up to the level of 1.4% of GDP, which is to be reached by 2020 (in 2014 defence spending ratio was as low as 1.08% of GDP). The Czech government is willing to increase the defence spending, due to the serious limitations within the scope of the collective defence operational activities. Secondly, the country is unable to fulfil its NATO obligations.

Expansion of the Military Academy in Vyškov is one of the elements, which are to make the Czech Army's potential bolstered. What is more, talks betweens the Ministry of Internal Affairs and the Ministry of Defence are currently going on – the aim of these talks is to create an integrated training centre for the SAR services.

“Our goal is to create a well functioning army, which would be capable of defending the country and helping its citizens in crises, that, at the same time, would be able to help our NATO allies”  - as it was stated by the Czech Prime Minister Bohuslav Sobotka, who visited the Vyškov center on 18^th April.

(AM)