Czech defence minister Jaromír Zůna faces criticism over army staffing and conscription plans

Defence minister Jaromír Zůna (SPD) has reiterated that the Czech Republic will not return to mandatory military service, preferring a voluntary model despite a shortfall in manpower. Data presented at a defence‑policy conference showed that of the 10 million citizens, roughly 4.13 million are eligible for service, yet the armed forces rely on only about 30 400 professional soldiers, 7 000 former conscripts in the reserve and 4 900 active reservists. Zůna and deputy minister Radovan Vích propose building new training centres and barracks across the regions to address the gap.

At the same time, the minister faces political pressure. Prime Minister Andrej Babiš criticised the draft defence concept presented by Zůna and the government appointed Miroslav Hlaváč as chief of the General Staff contrary to Zůna’s preference. Analysts suggest the minister’s weak position could be useful for the prime minister ahead of the NATO summit in Ankara, where Czech defence spending – targeted at 2 % of GDP – may be scrutinised. The debate mirrors Sweden’s recent revival of conscription amid regional security concerns, highlighting broader questions about the Czech Republic’s defence readiness.