Pavel prioritises security in speech to MPs amid defence spending debate
President Petr Pavel made his first address to the current lower house of the Czech Parliament on Tuesday. In a 10-minute speech, the head of state called on MPs to seek consensus where possible – and made a pointed call for an increase in defence spending.
Tuesday afternoon saw President Petr Pavel make his first address to the current lower house since this crop of MPs took their seats in November.
Compared to some of the orations of his immediate predecessor, Mr. Pavel’s words lasted a relatively short 10 minutes.
The president called on the government and opposition to seek consensus where possible on a whole range of issues, including education, healthcare standards, energy security and innovation. But he gave special priority to security.
“The unpredictable geopolitical situation – exacerbated at present by military conflict in the Middle East – and escalating threats are forcing us to think more and more about how to ensure and strengthen our resilience and defense capabilities.
"Today, there is no justifiable reason for defence and security spending to stagnate. On the contrary, there are plenty of compelling reasons for it to grow appropriately.”
Mr. Pavel’s words follow the coalition government’s plan to reduce defence spending this year to around 2 percent of GDP, leading to criticism from the opposition and media outlet Politico dubbing Czechia “NATO’s next villain”.
For their part, the cabinet headed by Prime Minister Andrej Babiš say steps need to be taken to safeguard other budgetary priorities.
Political scientist Aleš Michal told Czech Radio that the president’s address had been statesmanlike – but his defence spending call would likely fall on deaf ears.
“We’ll see if it makes a difference in the coming years. But for now the government needs to devote a lot of energy to explaining this issue, and not only to voters.
"It must also explain to its US partners why, in this situation – and today we are seeing further escalation of the conflict in the Middle East – it is not increasing defense spending.
"I do not think that referring to the previous government and disruption to the public finances is entirely appropriate rhetoric in this situation.”
Meanwhile on social media a great deal of attention was devoted to the actions of the minister of foreign affairs, Petr Macinka, who has repeatedly butted heads with the president.
Sitting behind Mr. Pavel, he could clearly be seen holding a copy of Communist-era daily Rudé Právo, evidently a dig at the head of state’s past as a pre-1989 trainee military intelligence officer.
For his part, Mr. Macinka said he had been merely showing the minister of defence, Jaromír Zůna, a period article related to the military.
Aleš Michal told Czech Radio the foreign minister’s move had been “performative” and pointed out that Mr. Zůna too had been a member of the Communist Party in the 1980s.
