The security perception and security policy of the Czech Republic, 1993–2018

ABSTRACT

All Czech strategic security documents since the end of the Cold War have been based on the argument that the risk of any direct military aggression against the territory of the Czech Republic is virtually nil. The 2015 Security Strategy responded to the changes of international security environment, especially to the Russian aggressive policy in Ukraine, hybrid war waged by Russia against the West, escalation of conflict in Syria against the background of the Arab Spring and the refugee crisis directly related to it. The 2015 Strategy continuously develops the ties to the transatlantic security partnership (NATO) and building up the security dimension of the European integration process. However, it is very likely that the Czech Republic can be expected to become a passive actor, meeting its allies' expectations only to an extent that is strictly necessary.

KEYWORDS:

• Czech Republic
• 2015 Security Strategy
• pro-Western orientation

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Notes on contributor

Zdeněk Kříž graduated in political science and history at Masaryk University. He has been the Head of the Department of International Relations and European Studies, Faculty of Social Studies, Masaryk University since November 2019 and became professor of Political Science in 2020. He specializes in history of world affairs, history of armed conflicts, international security organizations, German and Czech security policies, and civil–military relations.

Notes

1 Michal Kořan, Česká zahraniční politika [Czech foreign Poicy] (Brno: Masarykova univerzita, 2013); Zdeněk Kříž and M. Chovančík, ‘Czech and Slovak Defence Policies Since 1999. The Impact of Europeanization’, Problems of Post-Communism 60, no. 3 (2013): 49–62.

2 Ministry of the Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic, Security Strategy of the Czech Republic (Prague, 2015), 13.

3 Miroslav Tůma, J. Janošec, and J. Procházka, ‘Obranná politika Československé a České republiky (1989–2009)’ [Defence Policy of Czechoslovakia and the Czech Republic (1989–2009)] (Prague, The Ministry of Defence of the Czech Republic, 2009), 51–2; Miloš Balabán and B. Pernica et al., ‘Bezpečnostní systém ČR: problémy a výzvy’ [Security system of the Czech Republic: problems and challenges] (Prague: Karolinum, 2015).

4 Article 9 of Constitutional Act No. 110/1998 Coll. on the Security of the Czech Republic (1998).

5 Vláda České Republiky (Government of the Czech Republic), ‘Statut Bezpečnostní rady státu’ [State Security Council], https://www.vlada.cz/assets/ppov/brs/Statut-BRS-UV-879-2017.pdf.

6 Antonín Rašek, ‘K aktualizaci Bezpečnostní strategie České republiky 2011’ [Updating the Security of the Czech Republic 2011], Vojenské rozhledy 1, (2011).

7 Libor Frank and J. Proháczka, ‘Czech Defence Policy and Its Institutional and Documentary Framework’, Strategic Impact 1, (2007): 56–62.

8 Ministry of Defence, ‘České strategické dokumenty’ [Czech Strategic Documents], (2018).

9 Jana Urbanovská, ‘Motives for Participation in UN Peacekeeping Operations: The Case of the Czech Republic’, in International Multidisciplinary Scientific Conferences on Social Sciences & Arts (Sofia, Bulgaria: SGEM, 2016), 243–50, Jana Urbanovská and Z. Kříž, ‘Slovakia in UN Peacekeeping Operations: Trapped between the Logic of Consequences and Appropriateness’, The Journal of Slavic Military Studies 26, no. 3 (2013): 371–92.

10 Interview with a former Ministry of Defense employee, 22 02 2018.

11 Ministry of Defence, ‘Bezpečnostní strategie České republiky’ [Security Strategy], (Prague, 2011), 9–10.

12 Josef Procházka, V. Karaffa, and L. Frank, ‘Adaptace obranné politiky a strategie ČR na nové bezpečnostní hrozby’ [Adaptation of Defence Policy and Strategy of the Czech Republic to New Security Threats]’, Vojenské rozhledy 24, no. 3 (2015): 8–22.

13 Ministry of Defence, ‘Bezpečnostní strategie’, 13.

14 Czech Statistical Office, ‘Foreigners: Illegal Migration’, (2018), https://www.czso.cz/csu/cizinci/2-ciz_nelegalni_migrace.

15 Libor Frank et al., ‘Budoucí bezpečnostní a operační prostředí’ [Future Security and Operational Environment], (Brno: Univerzita obrany, 2011); Libor Frank and R. Stojar, ‘Charakteristiky a trendy vývoje bezpečnostního prostředí: Implikace pro ozbrojené síly’ [Characteristics and Trends of Security Environment Development: Implications for Armed Forces], (Brno: Univerzita obrany, 2010); Libor Frank, ‘Trends in the Security Environment and Their Implications for the Armed Forces’, (Brno: Univerzita obrany, 2015); Richard Stojar et al., ‘Vybrané trendy vývoje bezpečnostního prostředí a možné implikace pro ozbrojené síly’ [Selected Trends of Security Environment Development and Possible Implications for Armed Forces], (Brno: Univerzita obrany, 2015).

16 Ondřej Ditrych and J. Eichler, Bezpečnostní rozměr české zahraniční politiky [The Security dimension of Czech foreign policy], in Michal Kořan et al., Česká zahraniční politika v roce [Czech Foreign Policy] (Praha: ÚMV, 2015), 65–86.

17 Antonín Rašek, ‘K aktualizaci Bezpečnostní strategie České republiky 2011’ [An update to the 2011 Security Strategy of the Czech Republic], Vojenské rozhledy 21, no. 1 (2012): 99–121.

18 CVVM SOÚ AV CRv.v.i. (Public Opinion Research Center of the Czech Republic), ‘Bezpečnostní rizika pro Českou republiku podle veřejnosti’ [Security Threats for the Czech Republic in View of Public] (Prague, 2012); CVVM SOÚ AV CRv.v.i. (Public Opinion Research Center of the Czech Republic), ‘Bezpečnostní rizika pro Českou republiku podle veřejnosti’ [Security Threats for the Czech Republic in View of Public], (Prague, 2015).

19 Interviews conducted with 1048 respondents older than 15 years, between 30 11 2014 and 07 12 2015; and interviews with 1054 respondents older than 15 years old, conducted between 06 02 2012 and13 02 2012.

20 Ministry of the Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic, ‘Security Strategy of the Czech Republic’, 8.

21 Ibid., 7.

22 Věra Řiháčková, ‘Czech Republic: ‘Europeanization’ of a Hesitant Atlantist?’, (EUROPEUM Institute for European Policy, 2005), 2.

23 ‘The Defence Strategy of the Czech Republic’ (Prague, 2017), 12.

24 Christopher S. Chivvis et. al., ‘NATO’s Northeastern Flank: Emerging Opportunities for Engagement’, in RAND Corporation (Santa Monica, CA, 2017), 37–8.

25 České noviny, ‘Rok 2018 by měla armádě přinést nové mise, více peněz i vojáků’ [2018 Should Bring New Missions, More Money and Soldiers to the Army], http://www.ceskenoviny.cz/zpravy/rok-2018-by-mel-armade-prinest-nove-mise-vice-penez-i-vojaku/1567688.

26 Petr Sýkora, ‘Nasazení AČR v Afghánistánu’ [ACR Deployment in Afghanistan], http://www.army.cz/assets/en/ministry-of-defence/strategy-and-doctrine/strategie_an.pdf.

27 The Ministry of Defence of the Czech Republic, ‘Aktuální mise’ [Current Missions], http://www.mise.army.cz/aktualni-mise/default.htm.

28 Chivvis, ‘NATO’s Northeastern Flank’, 39.

29 ‘Klaus: Velké expediční mise končí, armádu ale potřebujemei v pacifistické EU’ [Klaus: Great expeditionary missions are over, but we need the army in the pacifist EU], http://www.natoaktual.cz/klaus-velke-expedicni-mise-konci-armadu-ale-potrebujeme-i-v-pacifisticke-eu-1ul-/na_zpravy.aspx?c=A121108_114143_na_zpravy_m00.

30 ‘Nové mise českých vojáků. Mali, Irák, Sinaj, Kosovo i Afganistán’ [New Missions of Czech Soldiers. Mali, Iraq, Sinai, Kosovo and Afganistan], https://www.denik.cz/z_domova/nove-mise-ceskych-vojaku-mali-irak-sinaj-kosovo-i-afganistan-20170421.html.

31 ‘Výrazné rozšíření zahraničních misí: příští rok tam má sloužit třikrát víc českých vojáků’ [Significant Expansion of Foreign Missions: Next Year There Should Be Three Times More Czech Soldiers], (2017), http://www.ceskatelevize.cz/ct24/domaci/2324473-vyrazne-rozsireni-zahranicnich-misi-pristi-rok-tam-ma-slouzit-trikrat-vic-ceskych.

32 České noviny, ‘Česko bude moci posílit některé armádní mise a chránit Pobaltí’ [The Czech Republic will be Able to Strengthen Some Military Missions and Protect the Baltics], (2018), http://www.ceskenoviny.cz/zpravy/cesko-bude-moci-posilit-nektere-armadni-mise-a-chranit-pobalti/1627638.

33 ‘Náčelník Generálního štábu Armády České republiky’ [Chief of the General Staff of the Army of the Czech Republic], (2018), http://www.mocr.army.cz/struktura/generalni/nacelnik-generalniho-stabu-armady-ceske-republiky--110093/.

34 Bohuslav Pernica, ‘Profesionální armáda v Českérepublice: prvních pět let’ [Professional Army in the Czech Republic: First Five Years] (Prague: Národohospodářský ústav Josefa Hlávky (Economics Institute of Josef Hlávka), 2012); Oldřich Bureš and B. Pernica, ‘Pluralization of Security Education in the Czech Republic’, Problems of Post-Communism 64, no. 3 (2018): 175–8.

35 Ministry of the Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic, ‘Security Strategy of the Czech Republic’ (Prague, 2015), 16.

36 Ibid., 15.

37 Ibid., 6.

38 Ibid., 16.

39 Michal Kořan, Česká zahraniční politika [Czech foreign Policy] (Brno: Masarykova univerzita, 2013), 124–5.

40 Ministry of the Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic, ‘Koncepce zahraniční politiky České republiky’ [Concept of Foreign Policy of the Czech Republic], (2015), https://www.mzv.cz/jnp/cz/zahranicni_vztahy/analyzy_a_koncepce/koncepce_zahranicni_politiky_cr.html.

41 Jaroslav Naď et al., Trans-Atlantic Security (Bratislava: Visegrad Security Cooperation Initiative, 2010).

42 Zdeněk Kříž, S. Brajerčíková, and J. Urbanovská, ‘Defense Co-Operation Between Germany and the Visegrad Countries’, Journal of Slavic Military Studies 31, no. 3 (2018): 1–19.

43 Ministry of the Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic, ‘Security Strategy of the Czech Republic’, (Prague, 2015), 12.

44 Zdeněk Kříž, ‘NATO Enlargement: Disaster or Success? Evaluation of Worst-Case Scenarios’, in NEWCOMERS NO MORE? Contemporary NATO and the Future of the Enlargement from the Perspective of “Post-Cold War” Members, eds. Robert Czulda and Marek Madej (Warsaw – Prague – Brussels: International Relations Research Institute in Warsaw, 2015), 117–30.

45 Michal Kořan, Česká zahraniční politika [Czech foreign Policy] (Brno: Masarykova univerzita, 2013), 107–109.

46 ‘Česká armáda do roku 2023 nakoupí americké vrtulníky Venom a Viper’ [Czech Armed Forces obtain the U.S. helicopters Venom and Viper by 2023] (2019), https://www.armyweb.cz/clanek/ceskou-armadu-ceka-modernizace-a-do-roku-2023-nakoupi-americke-vrtulniky-venom-a-viper.

47 Ministry of the Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic, ‘Koncepce zahraniční politiky České republiky’ [Concept of Foreign Policy of the Czech Republic], (2015), 2–3, https://www.mzv.cz/jnp/cz/zahranicni_vztahy/analyzy_a_koncepce/koncepce_zahranicni_politiky_cr.html.

48 Ministry of the Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic, ‘Security Strategy’, (Prague, 2015), 17.

49 Josef Bečvář, ‘Úvodník’ [Editorial], Vojenské rozhledy 25, no. 1 (2016): 3–5; Miroslav Havelka and J. Procházka, ‘Dokumenty strategického řízení obrany’ [Documents of Strategic Defence Management], Vojenské rozhledy 25, no. 2 (2016): 3–19; Zdeněk Kříž, ‘Obrannápolitika’ [Defence Policy], in Veřejné politiky v České republice v letech 1989–2009 (Public Policies in the Czech Republic in 1989–2009), eds. Stanislav Balík, Ondřej Císař and Petr Fiala (Brno: Centrum pro studium demokracie a kultury (Centre for the Study of Democracy and Culture), 2010), 323–66; Zdeněk Kříž and Miroslav Mareš, ‘Security Sector Transformation in the Czech Republic’, International Issues & Slovak Foreign Policy Affairs 20, no. 3: 43–60; Bohuslav Pernica, ‘Reforma a profesionalizace ozbrojených sil České republiky v pohledu projektového managementu’ [The Professionalization of Armed Forces of the Czech Republic as an Open Project and Innovation], Vojenské rozhledy19 (51), no. 4 (2010): 71–80.

50 Vývoj skutečných počtů osob v resortu MO ČR v letech 1992–2018 [Real Numbers of Ministry of Defence in 1992–2018], (2019), http://www.mocr.army.cz/scripts/detail.php?id=129653.

51 Přehled hlavních druhů techniky a výzbroje [Overview of the Main Types of Heavy Military Hardware], (2019), http://www.acr.army.cz/assets/technika-a-vyzbroj/technika/prehled-hlavnich-druhu-techniky-a-vyzbroje-2019.pdf.

52 The Ministry of Defence of the Czech Republic, ‘Koncepce výstavby armády České republiky 2025’ [Build-up of the Armed Forces of the Czech Republic 2025], (2015): 6, The Ministry of Defence of the Czech Republic, ‘Dlouhodobý výhled pro obranu 2035’ [Long Term Outlook for Defence 2035].

53 The Ministry of Defence of the Czech Republic, ‘Koncepce výstavby armády České republiky 2025’ [Build-Up of the Armed Forces of the Czech Republic 2025], (2015): 8.

54 ‘Armáda bude potřebovat novou jednotku pomáhající spojencům’ [The Army will need a new unit to help the Allies], (2017), https://www.securitymagazin.cz/security/armada-bude-potrebovat-novou-jednotku-pomahajici-spojencum-1404058431.html.

55 The Ministry of Defence of the Czech Republic, ‘Koncepce výstavby armády České republiky 2025’ [Build-Up of the Armed Forces of the Czech Republic 2025], (2015): 12.

56 ‘The White Paper on Defence’ (Prague 2011), 13.

57 František Mičánek et al., ‘Zpráva o stavu zabezpečení obrany ČR v roce 2014 – mýty a realita’, Vojenské rozhledy 23 (55), no. 2 (2014), http://www.vojenskerozhledy.cz/aktuality/2-uncategorised/66-zprava-o-stavu-zabezpeceni-obrany-cr-v-roce-2014-myty-a-realita.

58 The Ministry of Defence of the Czech Republic, ‘Koncepce výstavby armády České republiky 2025’ [Build-up of the Armed Forces of the Czech Republic 2025], (2015): 20–1.

59 Resortní rozpočet, [MoD Budget] http://www.mocr.army.cz/finance-a-zakazky/resortni-rozpocet/resortni-rozpocet-5146/.

60 The Ministry of Defence of the Czech Republic, ‘Koncepce výstavby armády České republiky 2025’ [Build-up of the Armed Forces of the Czech Republic 2025], (2015): 25.

61 Martin Chovančík, ‘Defense Industrialization in Small Countries: Policies in Czechia and Slovakia, Comparative Strategy 36, no. 4 (2018): 277–8.

62 Thomas-Durell Young, Anatomy of Post-Communist Europe an Defense Institutions: The Mirage of Military Modernity (London: Bloomsbury, 2017).

63 ‘Bezpečnostní rizika’, (2012, 2015).