Archive: Domestic affairs | Army Army
Incoming government promises overhaul of defence contracting policy
The incoming Czech government has declared the fight against corruption as
one of its top priorities. One of the hotspots has long been the Czech
Defence Ministry whose contracts with foreign arms producers have to go
through mediating firms. On Tuesday, Prime Minister Petr Nečas vowed to
change the practice and make the ministry’s arms deals more transparent.
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Rolling Bohemian hills become Afghan desert for Flying Rhino 2010
The Czech Republic is currently playing host to the British Army's largest
integrated land-air military exercise, called Flying Rhino. More than 2,000
troops from the UK's First Armoured Division backed up by several squadrons
of the Royal Air Force are working with Czech and other NATO allies to
simulate the conflict in Afghanistan.
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NATO chief Rasmussen hopes to see more Czech troops in Afghanistan
NATO’s Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen is in the Czech Republic
for a two-day visit, primarily to drum up support for a heightened Czech
military presence in Afghanistan. On Friday, Mr Rasmuseen met with the
Czech Prime Minister Jan Fischer, whose government has already approved an
increase of Czech troops in the war-ridden country. But the decision has
yet to be sanctioned by the Czech Parliament, and NATO’s Secretary
General is later scheduled to meet with party leaders to try to win their
support for the plan.
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Corruption suspicions over Pandur contract puts spotlight on army tenders
Suspicion of corruption surrounding another large contract for the Czech
army has focused attention on how the multi-billion deals are decided. Some
politicians are calling for far reaching structural reforms against the
background of European moves to foster a more transparent and competitive
market.
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Background to large armoured personnel carriers deal under scrutiny
A huge deal the Czech Republic signed last year to buy armoured personnel
carriers for the country’s army has been back in the news this week,
amid
accusations of corruption involving leading political parties. While Czech
politicians have denied any wrongdoing, the police have begun looking into
the matter. More
Government approves additional troops for Afghan mission
The government has approved reinforcements of 55 troops for the Czech
contingent serving in Afghanistan. Earlier this year, lawmakers approved
535 troops to continue the Czech mission in the war-torn country, but
finding approval for additional troops is not likely to prove easy. On
Monday, the Social Democrats – long opposed to troop increases on foreign
missions - wasted no time in coming out against the plan.
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Klaus steps in to stop mandatory swine flu vaccinations for soldiers
President Vaclav Klaus has stepped in to stop mandatory vaccination of
Czech soldiers against swine flu, telling Army staff the order to vaccinate
all 16,000 soldiers was “highly controversial, if not unacceptable.” Mr
Klaus – formally commander-in-chief of the Czech Armed Forces –
announced in a statement on Wednesday that he’d asked the Defence
Ministry to make vaccination voluntary. The ministry, it seems, has jumped
to attention.
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Czechs pledge more troops to Afghanistan but real battle will be in parliament
After months of anticipation President Barack Obama finally announced this
week he would be sending an extra 30,000 U.S. troops to Afghanistan in a
bid to bring the U.S.-led war to a close. To further that end, Washington
expects its partners in NATO to send at least another 5,000 troops, and
governments in several NATO countries – including the Czech Republic –
have already responded. However, they’ll first need to persuade a
sceptical parliament in Prague.
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Former Chief of General Staff says government needs to speed up preparation for new tender on fighter planes
The Czech Republic has five years left on its lease of 14 Gripen fighter
jets from the British-Swedish consortium BAE Systems-SAAB, but already, say
some observers, the government should be thinking about next steps: a
tender preparing the ground for the Czech Republic to either buy the
existing planes or to opt for new fighter jets.
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Government looks to redefine plan for Afghanistan
The state of military and reconstruction efforts in Afghanistan is a matter
of perennial debate and concern for all countries involved; and as forces
there revise their plan for the country, so too does the Czech Republic.
There are currently some 500 Czech soldiers in Afghanistan serving in a
variety of roles, and in rearranging their activities to suit the
continuing crises there, one thing the Czech government is now focusing on
is creating a more long-term plan for its missions. Andrej Čírtek of the
Ministry of Defence has recently returned from Afghanistan and earlier
today I spoke with him about the Ministry’s plans for Czech involvement
in the country.
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