Czech Defence News of the Week (8 June – 15 June 2018)

Author: Jakub Fajnor, Ministry of Defence|Caption: V4 defence ministers, memorandum on the V4 JLSG HQ

The ČSSD’s internal referendum approved the socialist participation in the new governement - The newly appointed Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babiš needs to decide on the question of the ČSSD’s nominee for the post of Minister of Foreign Affairs, Miroslav Poche - During the NATO defence ministers meeting held in Brusels the formation of the V4 Joint Logistics Support Group Headquarters has been announced - The German Interior Minister’s pressure on turning back refugees and migrants arriving from other EU countries concerns the Czech Republic too.

• The ČSSD’s (socialists) internal referendum on the formation of the new government led by Andrej Babiš (ANO) approved the socialist participation, 60 % of the party’s members voted yes, 40 % opposed themselves against the project.

• The newly appointed Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babiš needs to decide on the question of the ČSSD’s nominee for the post of Minister of Foreign Affairs, Miroslav Poche (currently member of the European Parliament), whose ambition to become minister has been repeatedly and openly refused by the Czech President Miloš Zeman due to former Poche’s political stances concerning the migratory crisis and relations of the Czech Republic with Israel. It appears the President will ask Miroslav Poche to deblock the formation of the new government.

• During the NATO defence ministers meeting held in Brusels on the 7th and 8th june the formation of the V4 Joint Logistics Support Group Headquarters (V4 JLSG HQ) has been announced, as a necessary addition to the NATO's defence capabilities.

• A mortar platoon of 60 soldiers from the 71st Mechanised Battalion left their home base in Hranice for Latvia on 14th June to form the initial part of NATO’s enhanced forward presence (eFP) in the Baltic states.

See also: Current Foreign Deployments of the Czech Army

• The German Interior Minister Seehofer’s pressure on having police stationed at borders to turn back refugees and migrants arriving from other EU countries concerns the Czech Republic too. According to Die Welt there is now twice as many migrants transiting through the Czech Republic as through Austria.

• The CZECHOSLOVAK GROUP, the EXCALIBUR ARMY and the TATRA TRUCKS displayed their products during the Eurosatory 2018 exhibition; among the vehicles presented at this occasion there was the unique BM-21 MT 4x4 rocket launcher and the Patriot 4x4 Tactical APC armored vehicle (both built on a Tatra chassis by Tatra Trucks corporation), together with the lightweight UAV named ROC.

See also: Eurosatory 2018, Patriot 4x4 Tactical APC