Czech delegation to come under scrutiny over defense spending at NATO summit
The row over who should represent the Czech Republic at the NATO summit in Ankara is over. Both the prime minister and president are attending the high-profile event. Attention has now turned to what is expected to be the main issue facing the Czech delegation - explaining why the country has failed to meet NATO's defense spending target.
The government delegation led by PM Andrej Babiš and President Pavel travelled to Ankara on separate planes on Tuesday, with government sources citing security reasons. However, the atmosphere remains frosty and the prime minister has made it clear that he is the one holding the reigns at the talks.
"For us, it is important that we will appear there as a delegation of the Czech ruling coalition, which is responsible for defense policy. We have agreed to increase the defense budget by 36 billion Czech crowns next year, so as to reach the 2 percent target for the first time. We will naturally try to reach the benchmark this year as well, but I honestly do not think that we will succeed. We will not try to beat about the bush as the former Fiala government did. We will say it as it is and defend our position.”
Commentators predict that providing a satisfactory explanation will not be easy. Amidst a concerted drive to increase defense spending –and Europe’s contribution to security – Czechia is one of three NATO members –together with Slovenia and Albania – who have failed to meet the 2 percent of GDP obligation.
The prime minister’s line of defense has been that the lapse is temporary, due to the poor state of public finances caused by the former government. During talks with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, Babiš pledged that his government would honour the country's alliance obligations from next year onward. It has also agreed to honour the longer-term goal of reaching 5 percent of GDP on spending by 2035.
Mr. Babiš stressed that it is important not just to spend the given amount of money, but to spend it effectively so as to boost the country’s combat capability. He said his government was working hard to meet that goal.
“We have been successful in meeting our military recruitment targets — over the past six months, we have increased the number of soldiers by 2,010. And we want to implement a new concept for our armed forces, namely an army focused on air defense and counter-drone capabilities, as well as fulfilling ongoing commitments and missions that we have in NATO."
In addition to defense spending commitments, the summit will also debate a proposal to provide Ukraine with €70 billion this year and at least the same amount next year. Mr. Babiš said the Czech Republic will not seek to block the proposal, but will not offer finances, which must now primarily go to meeting the 2 percent target.
Meanwhile, President Pavel, a former NATO commander, has repeatedly criticized the Babis cabinet for slashing defense expenditures at a time when Europe needs to take over a bigger share of responsibility for its security – one of the reasons why the Czech prime minister did not want him at the negotiating table in Ankara.
Ahead of his departure for Ankara he stressed that continued support for Ukraine is vitally important.
“A secure Ukraine means a secure Europe. A sovereign Ukraine with a strong and well-equipped army is the best possible guarantee of European security and it is therefore in Europe’s vital interest to support it.”
Although the president and prime minister do not always see eye-to-eye on defense spending, under Czech law, it is the government, not the president, which molds the country’s defense policy and makes executive decisions.
Pulling together in this difficult situation will put the diplomatic skills of the country’s top officials to the test and indicate their ability to coexist on the home front in the months to come.
