Bill which allows Czechs new way to get involved in defence of country comes into force

A bill which expands the options for citizens wanting to participate in the defence of the Czech state came into effect on Sunday. Until now, there were three ways Czechs could contribute to the defence of their country - by becoming professional soldiers, joining the active reserves, or voluntarily participating in military exercises. The new amendment to the current military legislation allows people to apply for a fourth option, whereby they only have to undergo a medical examination at the time of applying, but if the security situation were to worsen, they would go through training.

The law also touches on other areas, such as the remuneration of soldiers in the active reserves, and will allow the defence ministry to use data from public administration systems for defence planning even outside of a state of national emergency or war.

The bill was created as a response to the Russian military invasion of Ukraine.