Czech Defence News of the Week (6 July – 13 July 2018)

Author: NATO Force Integration Unit Latvia|Caption: eFP Battlegroup Latvia

The new Czech Government appointed on 27th June won a mandatory confidence vote in the Chamber of Deputies on 12th July - According to a „Conception of combating organized crime until 2023“ prestented by the Ministry of Interior, the share of foreigners in organized crime in the Czech Republic rises up to 49 % - On 10th July the Government changed the composition of the National Security Council and of the Intelligence Activity Committee - On 11th July the Slovak government announced the purchase of fourteen F-16 Fighting Falcon jets - Leaders of 29 NATO member states were present to the Summit held in Brussels on the 11th and 12th July - On 12th July a change of command ceremony of NATO enhanced Forward Presence Battlegroup Latvia took place in Ādaži.

• The new Czech Government appointed on 27th June won a mandatory confidence vote in the Chamber of Deputies on 12th July early morning. After nine months the Czech Republic has a government supported by the lower house of the Parliament. The price is that the KSČM (Communists) are given certain roles in governing for the first time since the 1989 Velvet Revolution; 105 deputies voted yes (from ANO, ČSSD and KSČM), 91 voted no. Notable was the absence of Milan Chovanec (ČSSD), former Minister of Interior in Bohuslav Sobotka’s Government (2014–2017).
• According to a „Conception of combating organized crime until 2023“ which has been prestented to the Government by the Ministry of Interior recently, the share of foreigners in organized crime in the Czech Republic rises up to 49 %. The most frequently represented were the Vietnamese, Ukrainians, Russians, Albanians, followed by Serbians, Bulgarians, Romanians, Polish, Chinese and Nigerians. The documents states that the crime is fueled by the migration crisis. According to the Czech Statistical Officer, in 2017 there was 524 thousand foreigners living in the Czech Republic or nearly 5 % out of 10.56 million inhabitants.
• On 10th July the Government changed the composition of the National Security Council. The members are: the Prime Minister Andrej Babiš, 1st Deputy Prime Minister Jan Hamáček (Minister of Interior and Minister of Foreign Affairs), Minister of Defence Lubomír Metnar, Minister of Industry and commerce Marta Nováková, Minister of Transport Dan Ťok, Minister of Health Adam Vojtěch and Minister of Agriculture Miroslav Toman. The National Security Council is a standing body of the Government responsible for coordinating the Czech Republic’s security issues and preparing draft measures to ensure the country’s security.
• The members of the Intelligence Activity Committee are: Prime Minister, 1st Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Defence, the director of the Security Information Service, the director of the Office for Foreign Relations and Information and the director of Military Intelligence.
• On 11th July the Slovak government announced the purchase of fourteen F-16 Fighting Falcon jets by the US General Dynamics Lockheed Martin to replace the Soviet era MiG-29s currently operated by the Slovak Air Force. Slovakia prefers the F-16s over JAS-39 Gripens by the Swedish Saab. The decision is taken amid US president Trump’s criticism that European NATO members do not spend enough on defence.

See also: Slovakia to buy Fighting Falcons

• Leaders of 29 NATO member states were present to the Summit held in Brussels on the 11th and 12th July. The Czech delegation was led by President Miloš Zeman on the first day, and Prime Minister Andrej Babiš (ANO) and Minister of Foreign Affairs Jan Hamáček (ČSSD) on the second day. The Ministry of Defence was represented by Deputy Minister Jakub Landovský. The major debates during the Summit were centered at the defence expenditures by the member states.

See also: NATO Brussels Summit: increase of defence spending

• On 12th July a change of command ceremony of NATO enhanced Forward Presence Battlegroup Latvia took place in Ādaži marking also 1 Year since Canadian-led Battlegroup has been deployed to Latvia. As of today Battlegroup consists of 8 contributing nations including Czech Republic (mortar platoon in size of 60 soldiers; another 230 men from the 41st Mechanized Battalion with Pandur II wheeled IFVs are deployed in Lithuania) and Latvia as a Host Nation.

See also: New Czech Government: do we strenghten the Czech foreign deployments?