Author: Miroslav Šindelář, army.cz|Caption: IVECO LMVs of the 44th Light Mechanized Battalion
President Miloš Zeman expects to appoint Tomáš Petříček Minister of Foreign Affairs this week - 40 soldiers of the 11th ACR Task Force EUTM awarded with military medals - Lubomír Metnar, Minister of Defence, took part in the NATO defence ministers’ meeting held on 3rd and 4th October in Brussels – Three Czech Army’s generals to be promoted - 44th Light Mechanized Battalion of the 4th Rapid Deployment Brigade celebrates 10th anniversary - 25th Air Defence Missile Regiment will take part in the Trident Juncture 2018 exercise.
Diplomat, Actor and former Minister of Defence Martin Stropnický resigned as MP on 1st October and also gave up his vice president's position in ANO. Stropnický follows these steps in preparation for his departure to Israel, where he is expected to take up the post of Ambassador shortly.
President Miloš Zeman expects to appoint Tomáš Petříček (ČSSD) Minister of Foreign Affairs this week. New minister's appointment should bring some much needed stability to the ministry. Current „provisional“ Minister Jan Hamáček was appointed to replace Miroslav Poche (MEP) refused by the President mainly on the grounds of his pro-migrant views. Hamáček holds both the Ministry of Interior and Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Tomáš Petříček was officially nominated by the Prime Minister Andrej Babiš (ANO). According to Petříček, Miroslav Poche will leave his post at the foreign ministry as soon as a new foreign minister has been appointed.
See also: Military Awards and Decorations
Lubomír Metnar, Minister of Defence, took part in the NATO defence ministers’ meeting held on 3rd and 4th October in Brussels. It was the first ministerial meeting following the Brussels summit of 11th and 12th July 2018 and was centered at implementing the decisions taken by the heads of state and government. The talks focused three major themes: the Alliance’s deterrence and defence posture, cooperation with the European Union, and burden-sharing between the two shores of the Atlantic. Minister Metnar was accompanied by Jiří Šedivý, Czech Ambassador to NATO, Deputy Minister of Defence Jakub Landovský and Lieutenant General František Malenínský, Military Representative of the Czech Republic to NATO.
On 3rd October Minister of Defence Lubomír Metnar proposed promotion of Lieutenant General Aleš Opata to the rank of General (OF 9), Brigadier General Petr Hromek, commander of the Czech Air Force, to the rank of Major General (OF 7), and Brigadier General Josef Kopecký, commander of the Land Forces, to the rank of Major General. The Government accepted the proposition, the final decision will be made by the President, and the promotion would eventually take place on 28th October (Independent Czechoslovak State Day).
On 4th October the 44th Light Mechanized Battalion of the 4th Rapid Deployment Brigade, based in Jindřichův Hradec, celebrated it’s 10th anniversary. The ceremony was attended by the Chief of General Staff.
Two weeks left before the member of the 25th Air Defence Missile Regiment leaves for the Trident Juncture 2018 exercise. TRJF2018 is a NATO-led military exercise to be held in Norway in October and November 2018: 45,000 participants from over 30 nations are expected to take part, with 10,000 vehicles, 150 aircraft and 60 vessels. The main goals of Trident Juncture is to train the NATO Response Force and to test the alliance's defence capability.
See also: The Czech Ground Air Defence joins the NRF
On Friday 5th October Deputy Minister of Defence Kateřina Suchoňová, Deputy Chief of the General Staff - Director of the Joint Operations Centre Major General Jiří Verner and other Czech Army’s representatives took part at a parade of 40 soldiers who came back from the foreign mission held in Mali, at the National Memorial Vítkov. Most of them were members of the 13th Artillery Regiment, and formed the 11th ACR Task Force EUTM in Mali, were commanded by capitain Lubomír Pánek, and were awarded with the Medal For Service Abroad. Captain Pánek and 1st Lieutenant Pavel Smrček were awared with the Cross of Merit of the Minister of Defence of the Czech Republic.