Prague, Dec 13 (CTK) – Prime Minister Andrej Babis (ANO) would like the Czech Republic to send a military unit to protect the Libyan border from uncontrolled migration in the future, he told reporters after the inauguration of new Defence Minister Karla Slechtova (for ANO) on Wednesday.
At present, Prague plans to send money in aid of Libya.
Slechtova said she would like to find out in her office whether the Czech military was ready for defence and combat actions.
She also said she would look into all extensive military contracts prepared by her predecessor Martin Stropnicky (ANO) and have expert opinions worked out on them.
Stropnicky became foreign affairs minister in the new cabinet.
Support for the Czech defence industry will be included in the government policy statement, Slechtova said.
She is the first minister whom Babis installed in office on Wednesday after President Milos Zeman appointed his government and his new team met for the first time.
At a press conference at the Defence Ministry, Babis thanked Stropnicky for his work in the key defence sector.
The government will raise defence spending, but the ministry must at the same time be able to use the finances, Babis said.
He said the Czech Republic would be an active NATO member. European NATO members face a specific problem of migration the main solution to which is fighting people smugglers, he added.
Babis said Prague would send money to Libya but that he would prefer sending a military unit there as Czech soldiers would gain experience from their defence of the Libyan border.
