President Pavel: “We’ve relied too long on the “peace dividend”

President Petr Pavel says Czechia has relied for too long on the “peace dividend” and must now prioritize its own security, like every NATO member. He made the statement on Monday during a ceremony marking Armed Forces Day at Prague’s Vítkov memorial.

President Pavel stressed that rising global risks mean Czechs can no longer count on others for their safety, adding that citizens must be ready to defend democracy and national sovereignty.

The annual ceremony commemorates the pledge made by Czechoslovak legionnaires in France in 1918, seen as the founding moment of the country’s armed forces.