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Lubomir Metnar, Ales Opata

Only a military torso is left due to years of neglecting of the Czech army, and it is no time for slowing down the military upgrading now, Chief-of-Staff Ales Opata, right, told a military command meeting today, on Tuesday, February 25, 2020. We must reinforce the torso once again. The Russian equipment really is not our path anymore. The allies are moving away from us and the potential enemy is getting a generation ahead of us, he said. The military has been suffering enough in the recent years, he said. Opata said his priorities are soldiers, the military's rearmament, quick-impact-projects, the command and control system, and gaining new capabilities. He recalled that the Czech Republic repeatedly pledged at NATO summits to annually spend 2 percent of the gross domestic product on the military in 2024. Some Czech politicians have recently challenged this pledge. Opata said defence spending of 2 percent of GDP is neither money for the soldiers nor money for the army. It is two percent for our defence, he pointed out. Defence Minister Lubomir Metnar, left, (for ANO) said he considers his main goal to defend the stable and predictable financial framework of the military in the government and parliament. (CTK Photo/Michal Kruphanzl)

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Chief-of-Staff Ales Opata

Only a military torso is left due to years of neglecting of the Czech army, and it is no time for slowing down the military upgrading now, Chief-of-Staff Ales Opata told a military command meeting today, on Tuesday, February 25, 2020. We must reinforce the torso once again. The Russian equipment really is not our path anymore. The allies are moving away from us and the potential enemy is getting a generation ahead of us, he said. The military has been suffering enough in the recent years, he said. Opata said his priorities are soldiers, the military's rearmament, quick-impact-projects, the command and control system, and gaining new capabilities. He recalled that the Czech Republic repeatedly pledged at NATO summits to annually spend 2 percent of the gross domestic product on the military in 2024. Some Czech politicians have recently challenged this pledge. Opata said defence spending of 2 percent of GDP is neither money for the soldiers nor money for the army. It is two percent for our defence, he pointed out. Defence Minister Lubomir Metnar (for ANO) said he considers his main goal to defend the stable and predictable financial framework of the military in the government and parliament. (CTK Photo/Michal Kruphanzl)

E

Chief-of-Staff Ales Opata

Only a military torso is left due to years of neglecting of the Czech army, and it is no time for slowing down the military upgrading now, Chief-of-Staff Ales Opata told a military command meeting today, on Tuesday, February 25, 2020. We must reinforce the torso once again. The Russian equipment really is not our path anymore. The allies are moving away from us and the potential enemy is getting a generation ahead of us, he said. The military has been suffering enough in the recent years, he said. Opata said his priorities are soldiers, the military's rearmament, quick-impact-projects, the command and control system, and gaining new capabilities. He recalled that the Czech Republic repeatedly pledged at NATO summits to annually spend 2 percent of the gross domestic product on the military in 2024. Some Czech politicians have recently challenged this pledge. Opata said defence spending of 2 percent of GDP is neither money for the soldiers nor money for the army. It is two percent for our defence, he pointed out. Defence Minister Lubomir Metnar (for ANO) said he considers his main goal to defend the stable and predictable financial framework of the military in the government and parliament. (CTK Photo/Michal Kruphanzl)

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Lubomir Metnar

Only a military torso is left due to years of neglecting of the Czech army, and it is no time for slowing down the military upgrading now, Chief-of-Staff Ales Opata, not on the photo, told a military command meeting today, on Tuesday, February 25, 2020. We must reinforce the torso once again. The Russian equipment really is not our path anymore. The allies are moving away from us and the potential enemy is getting a generation ahead of us, he said. The military has been suffering enough in the recent years, he said. Opata said his priorities are soldiers, the military's rearmament, quick-impact-projects, the command and control system, and gaining new capabilities. He recalled that the Czech Republic repeatedly pledged at NATO summits to annually spend 2 percent of the gross domestic product on the military in 2024. Some Czech politicians have recently challenged this pledge. Opata said defence spending of 2 percent of GDP is neither money for the soldiers nor money for the army. It is two percent for our defence, he pointed out. Defence Minister Lubomir Metnar, photo, (for ANO) said he considers his main goal to defend the stable and predictable financial framework of the military in the government and parliament. (CTK Photo/Michal Kruphanzl)

E

Lubomir Metnar, Ales Opata

Only a military torso is left due to years of neglecting of the Czech army, and it is no time for slowing down the military upgrading now, Chief-of-Staff Ales Opata, right, told a military command meeting today, on Tuesday, February 25, 2020. We must reinforce the torso once again. The Russian equipment really is not our path anymore. The allies are moving away from us and the potential enemy is getting a generation ahead of us, he said. The military has been suffering enough in the recent years, he said. Opata said his priorities are soldiers, the military's rearmament, quick-impact-projects, the command and control system, and gaining new capabilities. He recalled that the Czech Republic repeatedly pledged at NATO summits to annually spend 2 percent of the gross domestic product on the military in 2024. Some Czech politicians have recently challenged this pledge. Opata said defence spending of 2 percent of GDP is neither money for the soldiers nor money for the army. It is two percent for our defence, he pointed out. Defence Minister Lubomir Metnar, centre, (for ANO) said he considers his main goal to defend the stable and predictable financial framework of the military in the government and parliament. (CTK Photo/Michal Kruphanzl)

E

Lubomir Metnar

Only a military torso is left due to years of neglecting of the Czech army, and it is no time for slowing down the military upgrading now, Chief-of-Staff Ales Opata, not on the photo, told a military command meeting today, on Tuesday, February 25, 2020. We must reinforce the torso once again. The Russian equipment really is not our path anymore. The allies are moving away from us and the potential enemy is getting a generation ahead of us, he said. The military has been suffering enough in the recent years, he said. Opata said his priorities are soldiers, the military's rearmament, quick-impact-projects, the command and control system, and gaining new capabilities. He recalled that the Czech Republic repeatedly pledged at NATO summits to annually spend 2 percent of the gross domestic product on the military in 2024. Some Czech politicians have recently challenged this pledge. Opata said defence spending of 2 percent of GDP is neither money for the soldiers nor money for the army. It is two percent for our defence, he pointed out. Defence Minister Lubomir Metnar, photo, (for ANO) said he considers his main goal to defend the stable and predictable financial framework of the military in the government and parliament. (CTK Photo/Michal Kruphanzl)

E

Lubomir Metnar

Only a military torso is left due to years of neglecting of the Czech army, and it is no time for slowing down the military upgrading now, Chief-of-Staff Ales Opata, not on the photo, told a military command meeting today, on Tuesday, February 25, 2020. We must reinforce the torso once again. The Russian equipment really is not our path anymore. The allies are moving away from us and the potential enemy is getting a generation ahead of us, he said. The military has been suffering enough in the recent years, he said. Opata said his priorities are soldiers, the military's rearmament, quick-impact-projects, the command and control system, and gaining new capabilities. He recalled that the Czech Republic repeatedly pledged at NATO summits to annually spend 2 percent of the gross domestic product on the military in 2024. Some Czech politicians have recently challenged this pledge. Opata said defence spending of 2 percent of GDP is neither money for the soldiers nor money for the army. It is two percent for our defence, he pointed out. Defence Minister Lubomir Metnar, photo, (for ANO) said he considers his main goal to defend the stable and predictable financial framework of the military in the government and parliament. (CTK Photo/Michal Kruphanzl)