TOP 09: The Czech Republic Must Not Be a Free Rider on Security. We Propose Enshrining NATO and EU Membership in the Constitution
The Czech Republic has marked 27 years since joining the North Atlantic Alliance. According to TOP 09, this anniversary is not only a reminder of the country's return to the community of democratic nations, but also of its commitment to take responsibility for its own security and that of its allies. For this reason, TOP 09 proposes enshrining membership in NATO and the EU in the Constitution, as well as establishing a new parliamentary subcommittee on transatlantic cooperation.
"March 12, 1999 is the day we became part of the largest security architecture in the world. For us, it is not just a security umbrella—although that is, of course, essential—but also a commitment. Being a member of a security alliance means having responsibilities, not just benefiting from what others provide for us," said TOP 09 Chairman Matěj Ondřej Havel.
According to the party leader, the Czech Republic must recognize that security cannot be taken for granted. "Our security is not free, and our allies rightfully expect us to carry our share of responsibility. The Czech Republic must not be a free rider on security," he emphasized.
TOP 09 is therefore presenting concrete proposals aimed at strengthening the country's long-term security anchoring. "We will propose enshrining the Czech Republic's membership in the European Union and the North Atlantic Alliance in our Constitution, so that it is clear our security and civilizational anchoring in the West is not subject to political experimentation," Havel stated.
At the same time, TOP 09 wants to strengthen parliamentary oversight of defence policy. In the Chamber of Deputies, the party will seek to establish a Subcommittee on Transatlantic Cooperation, which would regularly evaluate the Czech Republic's commitments to NATO and reinforce parliamentary scrutiny of defence policy.
TOP 09 Vice-Chairman Marek Ženíšek recalled that joining the Alliance represented a historic return of the Czech Republic to the democratic world. "It was not only about security itself. It was a return to the family of democratic nations that share responsibility for freedom and its defence worldwide," he said, referring to the words of former President Václav Havel.
Marek Ženíšek also warned about the Czech Republic's low defence spending. "It appears we will spend around 1.7% of GDP on defence, which could be the lowest among all allied countries. We risk becoming the weakest link in the Alliance—and that is a disgrace," Ženíšek said.
Deputy Chairman of the TOP 09 parliamentary group Michal Zuna used the occasion of this important anniversary to criticize the government's decision to reduce defence spending in this year's budget. "Security must be a priority. Yesterday, a budget was approved that, despite our proposals, does not increase funding for strengthening our defence capabilities—neither for the army nor for cybersecurity," he stated.
According to him, the government's actions endanger national security. "For this and many other reasons, this government can only be described as unpatriotic. It is not enough to call oneself patriotic while doing nothing to strengthen the country's defence and security," he said. At the same time, the global security situation calls for greater preparedness. "The Russian threat will not disappear. Intelligence services and NATO military leadership agree on this. If we want to be a reliable ally and protect our citizens, we must take defence and security much more seriously," he added.
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