well as international public, foreign partners, and adversaries of the Czech Republic. Efficient and timely strategic communication may prevent or mitigate the impacts of security threats. It plays a crucial part in deterring enemies and gaining allies. What is more, it gives our people better insight into the security policy and other public policies to build their confidence in the State and public institutions. 52. An essential part of the work that must be done to build our societal resilience is to counteract disinformation, information operations, and attempts to manipulate the information space—especially when undertaken for the benefit of a State actor who seeks to undermine the democratic character and security of our State. To defend ourselves successfully, we need to take a holistic approach: to combine our promotion of media and information literacy and support for a strong civil society with the State’s strategic communication and with the development of threat detection and analysis capacities, efficient cooperation and coordination among the relevant State institutions, and cooperation within the EU and NATO. 53. The Czech Republic needs to develop a more holistic and united response to threats. It is important to develop our capability to attribute attacks, threats, and hostile actions directed against Czechia. This will enable us to target our response and assert our values with greater accuracy. To this end, we will obtain and gather data, and build expert analysis capacities. 54. To efficiently manage emergencies, and crisis situations (both human-made and natural) endangering lives, health, property, and the environment, it is essential to make sure that every element of the integrated rescue system remains operational. The great demands placed on preparedness of the system are proportionate to the high incidence and considerable impacts of emergencies. The Government of the Czech Republic will facilitate the provision of equipment for the integrated rescue system, as well as the building of civil protection and crisis management systems, and cooperation between the actors involved. 20 Collective dimension of defence and security 55. The Czech Republic’s defence hinges on our participation in the collective defence system of NATO—the only organization genuinely ready and capable to defend the territories, sovereignty, and territorial integrity of its members. Czechia takes an active part in efforts to strengthen the Alliance’s deterrence and defence posture against any adversary in all operational domains—on land, at sea, in the air, as well as in cyber space and outer space. NATO, just like Czechia, pays special attention to the defence capability of the Alliance’s eastern flank. Czechia will bolster its defence capability so as to be a responsible and credible ally contributing its adequate share to NATO collective defence. 56. Due to its geographic location, Czechia, as a transit country, is likely to play an important role in deterrence and collective defence in the context of collective defence operations and efforts to strengthen NATO’s eastern flank. We will have to take a great deal of responsibility for supporting the allied forces in our own territory. 57. The European Union makes decisive contributions to Czechia’s security in the broad sense. It is in our interest that the EU should be a strong political and security actor. We support efforts to reinforce the EU Common Security and Defence Policy and, within its framework, to develop all areas of the Common Security and Defence Policy while respecting the complementary approach to NATO’s key role in collective defence. Czechia promotes a consistent growth of EU-NATO cooperation, as well as the development of the EU-United States security dialogue. Strategic unity in the trans-Atlantic community is the cornerstone of the defence of the values of our democratic world and the international order based on them. 58. The EU’s unique strength in addressing external conflicts and crises lies in its ability to combine civilian and military means. Czechia supports the EU’s drive to improve its capability to decide and act promptly, assertively, and flexibly in order to manage different aspects of crises and conflicts. The EU is our key platform for coordinated prevention and response to a broad range of security threats such as climate change and illegal migration. Czechia takes an active part in the EU Civil Protection Mechanism and supports efforts to reduce disaster risk. 59. The essential tool of the EU Common Foreign and Security Policy are restrictive measures—sanctions. Their purpose is to protect the EU’s values, fundamental interests and security, and to lessen the ability of hostile regimes to harm our interests or the interests of our allies. The Czech Republic’s new legislation concerning national restrictive measures enables us to create our own national 21