OPENING REMARKS

KEYNOTE SPEAKER

• Andrej Babiš, Prime Minister of the Czech Republic

PANEL 1: SECURITY AS A STRATEGIC INVESTMENT

Security and the economy are closely interconnected. Key factors include capacities, investment, people, technology, and resilient supply chains. The Czech defence industry has the potential to become a pillar of state modernisation and, at the same time, a strong export player, provided it builds on research, development, and innovation and systematically increases domestic value added. It is not only about manufacturing; it is about designing, integrating, testing, modernising, and servicing, thereby creating well-paid jobs and know-how that cannot be easily replaced. Those able to scale production, deliver on time, and maintain systems over the long term will set the pace. At the same time, it is important to address the sustainability of growth, as the current boom is not guaranteed and may change faster than new investments can pay off.

How can we ensure that the defence industry remains sustainable in the long term even after the current arms boom subsides? How should investment in research and development be structured to increase value added and create well-paid jobs in the Czech Republic? What changes must the state make so that procurement accelerates modernisation while also encouraging innovation and domestic know-how? How should the involvement of Czech companies be structured so that key value added remains in the Czech Republic across production, integration, servicing, and life-cycle management? How can exports be supported while protecting strategic technologies and limiting risky dependencies?

Keynote Speaker:

• Andrej Babiš, Prime Minister of the Czech Republic

COFFEE BREAK

PANEL 2: EFFECTIVE DEFENCE OF THE MODERN STATE

Modernising defence today is not only about acquiring new equipment; it is about the state’s ability to turn large-scale investments into truly operational military capabilities. Airspace security, air defence, unmanned systems, sensors, data integration, command and control, and interoperability with allies now determine whether a state can respond to threats that can emerge within minutes rather than days. The Czech Republic is entering a period of major defence modernisation, which will be not only a military challenge but also a budgetary, technological, and organisational one. The key task will be to transform major investments into genuinely usable capabilities that are operationally proven, sustainable over the long term, and supported by sufficient technical, service, and industrial infrastructure.

Which military capabilities should the Czech Republic prioritise in the coming years? How is airspace protection changing in the era of drones, long-range missiles, and layered air defence systems? What determines whether major modernisation projects genuinely increase the state’s combat readiness rather than remaining ambitious acquisitions on paper? How can we ensure that new systems function as an interconnected whole, remain compatible with allied structures, and are at the same time operationally and economically sustainable? Where does Czech defence currently face the greatest obstacles in implementing new capabilities?

Speaker:

• Karel Havlíček, First Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Industry and Trade
• Jaromír Zůna, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Defence

VIP TALK: RESPONSIBLE INVESTMENT IN DEFENCE

Defence spending today is not merely a matter of budget percentages, but above all a matter of the state’s ability to manage public resources responsibly, effectively, and with clear security outcomes. The growing demands placed on defence therefore raise a fundamental question: how financing should be structured so that it strengthens the actual capabilities of the Army of the Czech Republic, meets allied commitments, and remains both economically sustainable and clear to the public. Every major investment in defence must deliver tangible benefits for citizens’ security, the modernisation of the armed forces, and the long-term resilience of the state.

What must the Czech Republic do to ensure that defence spending is not merely about meeting a budgetary target, but genuinely strengthens the security of the state? How can we tell whether money spent on defence is delivering real capabilities for the armed forces and tangible benefits for citizens? Where is the right balance between the Czech Republic’s allied commitments, responsible financial management, long-term planning, and oversight of spending efficiency? Which areas of defence should receive the highest funding priority to ensure that the modernisation of the armed forces reflects actual security needs?

Speaker:

• Jakub Landovský, Government Commissioner for the Fulfilment of NATO Commitments

COFFEE BREAK

PANEL 3: CRITICAL INFRASTRUCTURE AS THE BACKBONE OF SECURITY

The security of the state does not rest on the armed forces alone. In everyday reality, it is also sustained by the integrated rescue system, the police, fire brigades, crisis management authorities, local governments, and companies that operate networks, transport, logistics, data, and public services. When something goes wrong, it is no longer just an incident; it becomes a question of maintaining the functioning of the state and public trust, which depends on effective coordination and the ability to restore services quickly. Cybersecurity has become a common denominator of almost every crisis, as attacks and disruptions now spread through systems, networks, and supply chains. The key lies in predictable cooperation between the state and the private sector, clear rules for information sharing, joint scenarios and exercises, and practical civil preparedness that reduces chaos and accelerates response.

How should cooperation between the state, the integrated rescue system, local governments, and companies be structured so that it works in a crisis without improvisation? What rules for sharing information and data are needed to ensure a rapid response to incidents, including cyberattacks? How can the protection of critical infrastructure be unified across sectors to create compatible standards rather than fragmented solutions? What should crisis communication look like to maintain public trust and limit the spread of disinformation? What is the one concrete step that can be taken within twelve months to genuinely strengthen the resilience of the state?

Speaker:

• Lubomír Metnar, Minister of the Interior

PANEL 4: LABOUR MARKET AND NATIONAL DEFENCE CAPABILITY

Modern capabilities are not only about technology. Without people, air defence, logistics, cybersecurity, maintenance, and crisis management do not function. Competition in the labour market is intensifying, and defence competes for the same professions as technology companies, the energy sector, and transport. The future depends on whether the state can make military service attractive, sustainable, and socially prestigious, and whether it can develop the active reserve as a genuine component of defence. Equally important is the connection with industry and education, so that a new generation of technical and digital talent emerges with the motivation to remain in the Czech Republic.

How can recruitment and retention in the armed forces be accelerated while also increasing the prestige of service? How should a system of career development, training, and benefits be structured so that it can compete with the private sector? How can the active reserve be scaled up so that it becomes a genuine reinforcement rather than merely a formal number? Is the current cooperation between the armed forces, educational institutions, and industry functioning effectively? What is one concrete change that could be implemented within twelve months to tangibly improve the lives and service of soldiers and increase public trust?

NETWORKING & LUNCH