Pavel: Consensus on EU and NATO membership as guarantee of security

After a series of meetings with leaders of all parliamentary parties on Thursday, President Petr Pavel stated that there is general agreement that Czech membership in the EU and NATO remains the best guarantee of the country’s security and prosperity. Even the opposition SPD, which advocates for a referendum on leaving these institutions, did not question the importance of the alliances, according to Pavel. He added that while parties may differ on how strongly to support Ukraine, none dispute that the outcome of the war will significantly affect Czech and European security for years to come. All also agreed on the need to increase defense spending, with some emphasizing the importance of transparency and effectiveness.