Final Word from Wednesday, February 18, 2026

As the opposition's candidate for president in 2028, Pres. Petr Pavel is setting the stage for taking another stand against the new government by vetoing the 2026 budget. Pavel said a week ago in České Budějovice that the draft appears to be in violation of the law on budget responsibility. In Prague yesterday, he said that it would be irresponsible to lower the defense budget and also that a country with budget problems can't afford to host the Olympics. During a panel discussion on populism at the Munich Security Conference on Fri., he said that the current Czech government unfortunately isn't taking advantage of the opportunity granted by the EU to member states to increase defense spending without counting whatever is above 2% of GDP toward the deficit. This statement brings clarity to what Pavel's real message about the budget is. He wants higher defense spending, even if it might be irresponsible spending, because the EU has decreed that no level of higher defense spending is in fact irresponsible. [ Czech Republic brake national escape clause Stability and Growth Pact flexibility ]