PM Fiala: Babiš's statements about canceling ammunition initiative are dangerous

The statements of the leader of the opposition ANO party, Andrej Babiš, about canceling the ammunition initiative are dangerous, and cancelling it would be a huge mistake, said Prime Minister Petr Fiala on Wednesday at an election event in Brno. He was reacting to Mr. Babiš's recent interview with Reuters, in which he said that a government led by ANO would cancel the Czech ammunition initiative if it won the autumn elections.

The Czech ammunition initiative for Ukraine helped deliver 1.5 million rounds of ammunition last year, and deliveries are continuing this year. However, Mr. Babiš has long criticized the initiative, describing it as an advantage for arms dealers. Defence Minister Jana Černochová reacted similarly to the interview, stating “cancelling the ammunition initiative would not only damage the reputation of the Czech Republic, but would also be a fundamental threat to our security”.