Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babiš called on Czech companies producing military equipment that they export to Ukraine or the Middle East to secure their sites with the best possible technologies. He said this on Friday after the meeting of the State Security Council (BRS), which he convened in response to the hall fire in Pardubice. The police are investigating the case as a possible terrorist attack. At the same time, Minister of the Interior Lubomír Metnar announced that the degree of threat from terrorism in the Czech Republic remains at level B, informs TASR correspondent in Prague.
- Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babiš convened the State Security Council after the hall fire.
- The police investigated the fire in the Pardubice hall as a possible terrorist attack.
- Babiš called on arms companies to significantly tighten the physical security of the campuses.
- The government wants to tie export licenses to the level of protection of business premises.
- The degree of threat from terrorism in the Czech Republic remains at level B, moderate threat.
“The main thing I want to say is a message to all manufacturers who produce materials for defense or armaments, technologies, all Czech companies in our territory to secure their premises. Because the premises of this company that was attacked was not secured. Even though there was a guard there, the break-in was very easy,” Babiš said, adding that when arms companies have high profits, they will certainly have enough money for security.
Campus security
He pointed out that these businesses apply for licenses from the state in order to export their products. Therefore, he wants the granting of authorizations to be linked to the security of their campuses. He emphasized that it is in the interest of the entire Czech society.
“After all, it is not possible that when military material is produced, it is not secured. So we will ask them to do it at their own expense. I think they have enough money for it. It is also in their interest. We know very well what happened, we remember Vrbětice,” the Czech Prime Minister recalled the attack by agents of the Russian military intelligence GRU on the ammunition warehouse in Vrbětice in 2014.
Current threat level
He also stated that they have taken a number of measures in connection with the situation. However, he did not want to specify them.
The Minister of the Interior added that after evaluating the information from the intelligence services and the security forces, they agreed at the meeting that they would not increase the level of threat from terrorism. Currently in the Czech Republic, level B applies, which is a moderate threat. There are four in total, A to D.
