Czechs may not meet own target of 2 percent spending on defence in 2024

It is unclear whether Czechia will next year be able to fulfil its NATO commitment to spending 2 percent of its GDP on defence, Czech Television reported. The minister of defence, Jana Černochová, told the station that the country could have an issue with proven defence spending of 2 percent.

While a record CZK 160 billion will go on defence under the 2024 budget, over CZK 8.5 billion of that amount is earmarked for institutions such as the Administration of State Material Reserves and the National Office for Cyber and Information Security.

Czech MPs voted in April to increase defence spending to 2 percent of GDP – in line with a NATO guideline – from next year.