Senate: Redirecting spending away from army is risk

The Czech Senate has declared a reduction in funding for the army in favour of investment in transport infrastructure to be a risk, given growing security threats. Legislators in the upper chamber, including some from the governing ANO party, voted to approve this statement on Wednesday.

The Senate said redirecting spending in this way would jeopardise Czechia’s defence capabilities and also harm the country’s reputation.

The ANO-led government have cut defence outlay in this year’s budget and the state will not meet a commitment to NATO to spend at least 2 percent of GDP on defence.