Czech government plans defense budget increase this year to meet NATO commitments

The government of Andrej Babiš plans to increase the Defense Ministry’s budget later this year in order to meet the country’s commitments to NATO, Defense Minister Jaromír Zůna said in an interview with Seznam Zprávy, to be published in full on Tuesday. According to Zůna the Defense Ministry is set to receive roughly CZK 20 billion in additional funding, which would allow the Czech Republic to fulfil its pledge to spend two percent of GDP on defense. The move should take place before the upcoming North Atlantic Alliance summit. The sum roughly corresponds to the amount by which the Babiš administration had reduced the defense budget for this year in the draft prepared by the previous cabinet of Petr Fiala.