ANO calls for smarter defense spending, not just bigger budgets

Defense spending must be used wisely and in line with the needs of the Czech Army and the country’s commitments within NATO, leaders from the ANO party, which is leading negotiations on the next Czech government, said on Tuesday at the Vítkov Memorial ceremony. ANO deputy chair Alena Schillerová told reporters that while the party supports allocating two percent of GDP for defense, the money must be spent effectively. ANO vice-chair Karel Havlíček emphasized that defense procurements must be transparent and aligned with both national and alliance priorities. Havlíček said the Czech Republic should focus in particular on strengthening its air defense and anti-drone capabilities. NATO member states agreed at their June summit in The Hague to increase collective defense spending to five percent of GDP by 2035, a goal that ANO leader Andrej Babiš has previously called unrealistic.