PM Fiala: Increasing defense spending by 0.2% of GDP per year is realistic

Prime Minister Petr Fiala stated that increasing defense spending by 0.2 percent of GDP annually is realistic and manageable in terms of budget, capacity, and the processes for concluding contracts and modernizing the Czech army. He made these remarks at a press conference following a meeting with Defence Minister Jana Černochová and representatives from the Czech defense industry. Fiala reiterated that reaching 3 percent of GDP will take several years. According to Černochová, exports of military equipment from Czechia to Ukraine grew by at least a third last year compared to the previous year. She also noted that 2023 was a record year for military exports.