Prague, April 19 (CTK) – Most Czech parties in the Chamber of Deputies are against the resumption of the compulsory military service, their representatives agreed in a debate at the Faculty of Social Sciences on Wednesday and they are also against the creation of a joint European military.
The parties say the Czech Republic should rely on its professional military and active reserves.
Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Andrej Babis (ANO) said he is “not in favour” of the resumption of the compulsory military service.
“We need to build a professional military and active reserves,” he said.
Deputy Prime Minister Pavel Belobradek (Christian Democrats, KDU-CSL) said he would support the introduction of a course for extraordinary situations, but not the fundamental military service.
The opposition is also against the restoration of the compulsory military service.
“I underwent the fundamental military service, and that is why I do not support its resumption,” Zbynek Stanjura, chairman of the deputy group of the rightist opposition Civic Democrats (ODS), said.
Communist (KSCM) chairman Vojtech Filip is also opposed to it.
Miroslav Kalousek, chairman of the opposition conservative party TOP 09, said he would support the reinforcing of the active reserves.
Tomio Okamura, chairman of the opposition Freedom and Direct Democracy (SPD) movement, said he would like to introduce a certain form of compulsory military service.
He said the Czech Republic should have a six-week defence training which would be compulsory for men and voluntary for women.
Representatives of ANO, the KDU-CSL, the ODS and TOP 09 said it would not be reasonable to create a joint European military in addition to NATO.
However, Belobradek said NATO’s European pillar should be reinforced and that defence research and development in the EU should be more coordinated.
