Prague, July 15 (CTK) – NATO Supreme Allied Commander Transformation Jean-Paul Palomeros discussed the situation of the Czech military, the defence budget and exercises of NATO rapid reaction forces with Czech chief of staff Josef Becvar yesterday.
Palomeros, who will continue his visit to the Czech Republic on Thursday, is heading one of the two strategic commands within the NATO structure. He is in charge of training and educational facilities and the allies’ joint projects and cooperation, including the exercises of rapid reaction forces that should be ready for deployment within two days.
The allies agreed on the establishment of the Very High Readiness Joint Task Force (VJTF) last year in reaction to Russia’s stance on NATO.
Becvar and Palomeros discussed the Noble Jump exercise of these forces held in Poland in June.
Becvar said Czech soldiers had fulfilled their tasks at the exercise.
Palomeros said it was a great success, an excellent demonstration of will and skills.
NATO has a very ambitious three-year plan that counts with joint defence exercises, Palomeros noted.
This year, Czech units should participate in several NATO exercises.
One of the largest is Trident Juncture to be held in Spain, Portugal and Italy at the end of October and the beginning of November. Some 36,000 soldiers from more than 30 countries are to participate in it, including over 200 Czech soldiers along with the L-159 aircraft, helicopters and chemical troops’ equipment. They will train to solve a crisis scenario outside the territory of NATO member states.
Another large exercise, in which Czech take part, will take place in Hohenfels, Germany, in August. The Czech commander of the 7th mechanised brigade, Josef Kopecky, will command some 4,000 allied soldiers, including several hundred Czechs.
At the press conference, Palomeros also spoke about the necessity of the NATO member states’ long-term investments in defence and security. Security is not for free, he added.
In the past years, the Czech Republic has spent only about 1 percent of GDP on the military though it pledged to give two percent.
Last year, the government coalition of the Social Democrats (CSSD), ANO and Christian Democrats (KDU-CSL) promised to increase this sum to 1.4 percent of GDP by 2020.
Becvar told CTK that he was negotiating about the budget level with Defence Minister Martin Stropnicky (ANO). They met on Tuesday to debate the budget for next year with outlook until 2018. Becvar expects further talks in August.
On Thursday, Palomeros will meet Deputy Defence Minister Jakub Landovsky and visit the NATO centre of protection against mass destruction in Vyskov, south Moravia, which was officially opened last autumn.
