Key messages of the Security Strategy of the Czech Republic • Czechia is not secure. The main source of the threats is the much deteriorated international situation. • Russia’s war against Ukraine has put an end to the period of peace, stability, and cooperation enjoyed by Europe after the end of the Cold War. • Russia acts deliberately against Czechia’s political, economic, and social stability. It poses a fundamental threat to our security. • China calls into question the international order. This has adverse implications for Euro-Atlantic security. • Russia and China share the same interest – to weaken the influence and unity of democratic countries. The systemic competition is of a long-term nature. • Czechia must be able to withstand hostile influences in the cyber, information, economic, and intelligence spheres. • Czechia must prepare thoroughly for the possibility that it could become part of an armed conflict. • Czechia must be prepared to deal with emergencies and crisis situations, including long-term crises, caused by climate change or extraordinary humanmade events. • Europe’s security is interlinked with security and stability in Europe’s neighbourhood. • NATO and EU membership is of critical importance to Czechia. A threat to an ally is a threat to Czechia. • Citizens are contributors to security and not just its consumers. A crucial task for the Government is to prepare them for this role. • The only answer to today’s complex threats is a whole-of-government and wholeof-society approach. • Czechia, together with its allies, will make itself secure. However, we will need to invest in every aspect of our security. 4 I. Introduction 1. The Security Strategy of the Czech Republic (“the Security Strategy”) is the fundamental document of our security policy and a frame of reference for other strategies and policies relating to our security. It sets out the core principles and directions of our security policy that are binding on all bodies of the State and public administration. The Security Strategy is to serve as guidance for strategic decisions as well as for daily work on all levels of our security system, including the very basic ones. Its implementation will be regularly reviewed in cooperation with the competent authorities. 2. The Security Strategy is the Government’s document drawn up in consultation with the Office of the President of the Czech Republic and the Parliament of the Czech Republic. The aim was to seek non-partisan approaches to security issues. The authors also received input from the Czech security community, including its non-governmental as well as government sectors. The principal frameworks of reference were the NATO Strategic Concept and the EU Strategic Compass; these crucial documents were adopted at the highest level in the two organizations during 2022. The Security Strategy is aligned with the Strategic Framework Czech Republic 2030, a document that sets out an overall strategic vision and goals for Czechia’s development in the long-term horizon. 3. The Security Strategy is based on the values and legal standards enshrined in our constitutional legislation: the Constitution of the Czech Republic, the Charter of Fundamental Rights and Freedoms, Constitutional Act No. 110/1998 (concerning the security of the Czech Republic as amended), and other legislation implementing constitutional standards. Furthermore, the Security Strategy reflects our commitments to our allies and other international commitments arising from the Czech Republic’s membership of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO), European Union (EU), United Nations (UN), and the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE). 4. The Security Strategy mostly respects the established structure of its predecessors adopted in 2003, 2011, and 2015. The logic is to look at our comparatively stable security interests in the context of the dramatically changing security environment. The confrontation tells us which strategy is best suited to promote our security interests here and now; and the strategy, in turn, tells us in general terms which tools we should use. In departure from the previous documents, the authors included a new chapter on areas of strategic concern where further policy work will be needed. 5