Date – In a significant development, the Czech-American defence cooperation agreement has been approved by the Chamber of Deputies. Having received prior approval from the Senate, the agreement now awaits President Petr Pavel’s signature to complete the ratification process.

The parliamentary debate surrounding the agreement lasted approximately 4.5 hours and was marked by critical contributions from MPs belonging to the opposition Freedom and Direct Democracy (SPD). Outside the parliament buildings, several dozen people also protested against the agreement on Malostranske namesti.

The lower house successfully ratified the agreement with strong support, garnering 115 votes out of the 144 MPs present during the session. Notably, the agreement enjoyed backing from representatives of the five government parties, as well as a majority of lawmakers from ANO.

However, the 14 SPD MPs present and four from ANO voted against the agreement. SPD had previously attempted to secure an indefinite adjournment of the agreement but did not succeed.

Defense Minister Jana Cernochova, a member of ODS, highlighted the significance of the defence agreement with the United States in providing an additional security guarantee for the Czech Republic. She argued that given the current security situation with Russian military aggression against Ukraine, a strong alliance with other democratic countries is indispensable.

On the other hand, representatives from the SPD demanded a national referendum on the agreement or a requirement for a three-fifths majority in parliament, akin to a constitutional change. The SPD parliamentary group leader, Radim Fiala, claimed that the agreement infringes upon Czech sovereignty, asserting that it places the Czech Republic in a subordinate position.

While the debate saw comparisons of the agreement to the Soviet occupation of Czechoslovakia in 1968, such analogies were contested by other MPs. Ondrej Lochman of STAN stated that the comparison was invalid, emphasizing that the agreement does not entail military invasion or the loss of Czech government control.

Additionally, ANO successfully pushed through an accompanying resolution with coalition support, affirming that the agreement advances practical defence cooperation with the United States and enhances security for the Czech Republic. It was clarified that the agreement does not grant the US armed forces the right to establish permanent military bases in the Czech Republic or deploy nuclear weapons without prior Czech consent.

The comprehensive 40-page document covers various aspects related to the presence of US troops in the Czech Republic and cooperation between the US and Czech armed forces. It addresses legal status, environmental protection, operation of motor vehicles, status of US armed forces contractors, and tax exemptions for US soldiers in the Czech Republic. Furthermore, the agreement outlines a list of Czech military installations and premises available for use by the US military.

Article by Prague Forum