Prague, Jan 22 (CTK) – The Czech Defence Ministry wants to increase the number of its soldiers by 1725 and of the civilian staff by almost 250 this year, Jiri Caletka, from the Defence Ministry press department, told journalists yesterday.
Last year, the number of career soldiers was increased by 1214 and that of civilian employees by over 120.
According to the current employment system, the Defence Minister is to have 27,000 professional soldiers.
However, due to the cuts the previous centre-right government made during the latest recession, the number was gradually curbed to under 21,000.
In the past two years, the military conducted a massive recruitment campaign.
Defence Minister Martin Stropnicky (ANO) and Chief of Staff Josef Becvar recently said the planned number was insufficient and it should rise to over 30,000.
At the beginning of this year, the military employed 23,184 professional soldiers, which was 1214 more than a year ago.
Another 6515 worked at the Defence Ministry as civic employees and 1148 as state employees. In all, the office employed 30,847 people.
However, the figures do not include the staff of the Military Intelligence that is controlled by the Defence Ministry.
The Defence Ministry plans another robust growth in the number of soldiers this year, too.
“In the budget for 2017, the Defence Ministry has the means for an annual increase by 1725 career soldiers, 213 civic employees and 33 state employees,” Caletka said.
