"We need to substantially increase spending on our own defence to at least three per cent of GDP over the next few years. We have to be able to secure this money and we have to make sure it is spent wisely and efficiently," said Prime Minister Petr Fiala in an extraordinary speech on the current security situation in Europe on the occasion of the third anniversary of the Russian aggression in Ukraine.
Dear fellow citizens,
I have decided to address you today not only because it is three years since a war with far-reaching consequences for the whole of Europe began not far from us. I am also addressing you now because I know that many of you have been feeling very uneasy in recent weeks about what has been happening on the international scene. You are concerned about what the current changes may mean for us and what they may mean for the future of our children.
I will speak out, as I have tried to do throughout my public service. I want to tell you what are the challenges we face, how I think about the whole situation and how I will proceed in the months ahead. The situation is by no means simple, but there is no reason to be complacent either.
The international order - that is, the sort of unwritten rules that govern relations between states in the world - is undergoing its biggest change these days since the fall of communism in the late 1980s and early 1990s.
However, the foundations of this international order were laid earlier, after the Second World War. Among other things, they were based on the strong role of the United States of America. As a global leader, the US felt a great responsibility for international developments, actively promoted democracy and freedom in various parts of the world, and guaranteed and ensured the security of European democracies.
In the meantime, there have been a number of fundamental changes, not only political, but also economic and technological. New problems have emerged, and new global players with great ambitions to influence international relations, such as China, have also emerged.
President Trump has decided to completely transform American foreign policy. The speed, vigour and rhetoric are certainly surprising, but the US shift away from focusing on Europe should not surprise us. It has been going on for at least a decade, and I myself have repeatedly pointed this out. However, European countries have long been unwilling to acknowledge this shift in the American public debate and have not been sufficiently concerned about their security. We did, which is one of the reasons why my government had it on its agenda to increase defence spending to two per cent of GDP before the Russian aggression against Ukraine - and we did. However, even that will not be enough in the long term.
The new international reality - including all the dangers and risks and including the new emphases of American foreign policy - this new international reality must be respected. It does not mean that the United States ceases to be our ally. However, it is necessary to get used to the fact that it is now an ally that is openly letting us know that the time has come for European countries to be able to take care of their own problems. And it is not just defence and security, but also economic cooperation and international relations.
So what needs to be done?
As a medium-sized European country, the Czech Republic has a major decision to make. Either we will take these changes as an opportunity and try to make the most of them, or we will be paralysed by them and then pay the price economically and security-wise.
Other European countries and, of course, the European Union as a whole are facing the same decision. It will not be easy and it will not be comfortable. But I know from conversations and meetings with other European leaders that most of them recognise the urgency of the situation.
We, the Czech Republic and its citizens, have several advantages on our side that we can rely on in the months and years to come.
First of all, we know through painful historical experience that an undemocratic Russia with its power ambitions is a great danger and that this danger is best avoided by being strong and decisive. Membership of NATO, membership of the European Union, European defence cooperation, spending on our common defence, these are all very effective tools for keeping the Czech Republic safe in the long term. Our primary objective must now be a strong Europe, a Europe that can deter Russia from further military attacks on sovereign European states. And it is good to say that today. Today, as we mark the third anniversary of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
To do this, we need to start taking concrete steps now.
First, we need to substantially increase our own defence spending to at least three per cent of GDP over the next few years. We must be able to secure this money and we must ensure that it is spent wisely and effectively.
Second: We need to quickly adopt new fiscal rules at European level that will allow us to make these huge investments in defence and security. And, for example, the unused €93 billion from the so-called Recovery Fund should be used by the European Union to strengthen our defence capabilities, to support joint purchases for our armies or to support the reinforcement of critical infrastructure.
And third: We need to use the money from frozen Russian assets from all over Europe to further support Ukraine militarily.
Yes, it will be an extra expense. But this expenditure also represents a great opportunity, especially for us, for the Czech Republic. We are a traditional engineering country with a historically strong defence industry. Our armaments factories are of high quality and economically strong, even to the extent that in recent years they have expanded into other countries, including the United States.
Let's make the most of our advantage. Our European allies will be strengthening their defences in the years ahead and we can help them to do so. This can be a major boost for our national economy, for its international competitiveness, for the development of innovation and for the long-term security of employment. According to various analyses, one koruna spent wisely on defence will bring an additional three crowns to the Czech economy. We cannot afford to waste this unique opportunity.
I have mentioned Europe and European countries several times. It would be a mistake to think that the Czech Republic will prosper if the European Union does not prosper at the same time. This alliance of ours is becoming even more important in the new international conditions than it has been in the last twenty years.
But that is why we have to admit one big problem and we have to fix it quickly. The European Union has recently become too preoccupied with regulating everything possible, forgetting that our common goal should be economic growth, prosperity and international success. There is no other way to ensure a high standard of living and security for Europeans in the long term.
We therefore need to start working as quickly as possible on systematic deregulation across the European Union. It is not just about cutting red tape. The whole concept of the Green Deal and decarbonisation needs to be reviewed. If we do not do this, we will become an uncompetitive open-air museum on the new international stage. And that would be an unforgivable mistake.
Dear fellow citizens, we are living in a crucial time. We need to do our best and we need to try to overcome everyday disputes. For the success of our country, it is important that we, as elected politicians, are able to speak with one voice externally and jointly defend the fundamental interests of the Czech Republic on the international stage.
There is definitely something to build on. We have invested massively in recent years, not only in our defence, but also in building new roads, motorways and railways, in education and innovation. At the same time, we are striving to make the Czech Republic an international player in nuclear energy and in chip production.
Within Europe, we have come up with a number of important initiatives. In addition to the ammunition initiative or our activities in the fight against illegal migration, I would like to mention the successful fight for the revision of the Euro7 standard, which threatened to weaken our car industry even further. In addition, we are now also trying to negotiate the abolition of the fines currently threatening car manufacturers, which would pointlessly drain them of the money they need for technological development and to survive the current unfavourable situation.
Fortunately, we have many allies across Europe who see the threats and opportunities as we do. We agree with them that we want a strong, secure and prosperous Europe. Only such a Europe will command respect. Especially in a world where, to gain international respect, you have to show that you can put not only ideals on the negotiating table, but also weapons and money.
Dear fellow citizens, there is no need to be complacent today. We need to look at things realistically, behave responsibly and make good decisions in time. That is what we are trying to do. That is why I believe that we will emerge stronger from these trials.
Have a nice evening.
Petr Fiala, Prime Minister
Government of the Czech Republic/ gnews.cz - RoZ
English 
Czech 
Spanish 
French 
Italian 
Russian 
Chinese 
German