Pavel: Defence spending cut may cost Czechs credibility among allies

The Czech president, Petr Pavel, says the country risks losing credibility among allies due to a reduction in spending on defence. Speaking to Czech Television on the eve of the third anniversary of his inauguration, the head of state said it was not possible to enjoy security at the expense of others.

The recently appointed Czech government is planning to cut defence spending this year to the equivalent of 1.8 percent of gross domestic product. It says there are no funds to increase outlay on defence as it must fulfil other budgetary priorities.

Last week the US ambassador to Prague, Nicholas Merrick, said the amount Czechia planned to spend on defence would leave it far below its commitments from a NATO summit in the Hague last year (5 percent of GDP), and even below a pledge from another meeting in Cardiff in 2014 (2 percent).