Fiala: Czechia not NATO freeloader

Czechia is not a freeloader that only relies on the help of its NATO allies without giving anything back, but on the contrary, it is a responsible state that takes its security seriously and helps where needed, Prime Minister Petr Fiala said in a speech at the two-day NATO Days event taking place at Ostrava’s Mošnov Airport this weekend. He cited the war in Ukraine, defending the sky over Eastern Europe, peacekeeping missions, and sending rescuers to places affected by disasters, such as after the recent wildfires in Greece, as examples of where the country had pulled its weight and proven itself as a strong NATO ally.

The prime minister underscored the importance of Czechia's NATO membership, which provides it with security guarantees that the country did not have in the past.