Citizens do not want to join the army – Chief of the General Staff of the Czech Republic.

The Czech army recruits fewer people

The Chief of the General Staff of the Czech Army, Karel Rzehka, stated that recruitment to the Czech army decreases every year. He noted that it's important not only to replenish the army but also to consider how many people leave it and how many new ones are recruited.

According to Rzehka, this year's recruitment to the army is unsatisfactory, and more radical measures might be introduced in the future, including benefits for soldiers. He also mentioned consulting with the ministry on short-term and medium-term measures, as well as making amendments to legislative acts.

Mandatory military service in the Czech Republic ended in 2004, which was a justified action at the Time. However, thousands of people regularly leave the obligated reserve now and are almost not replaced by new ones, affecting the state of the army.

Plans of the Czech Army

At the beginning of this year, the Czech Army had 27,826 professional soldiers and 4,266 active reserve soldiers. According to strategic plans, by 2030, the army should have 30,000 professional soldiers and 10,000 active reserve soldiers.

Czech Initiative for Ukraine

Ukraine will receive 500,000 artillery shells by the end of the year under the Czech initiative. The Prime Minister of the Czech Republic, Petr Fiala, stated that the program might be extended if donor countries' support is found, as the need for shells for Ukraine continues.