Czech soldiers, army, training – illustrative photo.
Prague – The Chamber of Deputies is likely to approve expanding the possibilities for residents to participate in the defense of the Czech Republic. The government's amendment to the defense legislation, which was supported by the relevant committee today, also regulates, for example, the remuneration of soldiers in active reserve and will allow the Ministry of Defense to use data from public administration information systems for defense planning even outside of a state of national threat or a state of war.
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According to the proposal of the Chairman Lubomír Metnar (ANO), the Defense Committee recommended maintaining the current definition of the operational deployment of the armed forces. The government wanted to expand the definition, especially in relation to foreign missions. The supported amendment of the reporter Jiří Horák (KDU-ČSL) in turn adjusts the protection zones around some buildings.
For the adoption of the government amendment, the members present in the committee voted for the coalition parties and for the opposition ANO. A representative of the SPD opposition movement abstained from voting.
Currently, people can become a professional soldier, join the active reserve or volunteer to participate in a military exercise. The draft adds the so-called voluntary predetermination for the replenishment of the armed forces to these possibilities of involvement in the defense of the state. A person who would apply for them would have to immediately undergo a medical examination. However, if the security situation worsened, he would have to undergo training. The cabinet would establish the obligation through government measures, the House of Representatives could cancel them.
The amendment allows the state to pay an annual recruitment allowance of 24,000 crowns to new soldiers in the active reserve and also introduces a stabilization allowance of the same amount for them. The draft does not change the current regular annual remuneration of 18,000 crowns, but it will be conditional on longer, at least two weeks, active service. Currently, at least one weekly military exercise per year is sufficient. A soldier in active reserve will be able to receive an additional up to 6,000 crowns depending on the result of the service evaluation. According to the amendment, other reserve soldiers who participated in the military exercise voluntarily or on the basis of a government measure will be entitled to a reward of 15,000 crowns. It will allow the use of military weapons and other means, such as signal jammers, net throwers and lasers, to prevent drones from flying over designated areas. At the government office, the amendment enacts the position of adviser for national security, which Tomáš Pojar is now, including as secretary of the State Security Council.
