European politics must not be determined by military generals, former Czech President Václav Klaus said during an interview with Slovak television station ta3, as reported by Echo24.
Klaus appeared alongside Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico to discuss European security. Fico emphasized the necessity of pushing for peace negotiations during the broadcast.
Klaus agreed with the Slovak prime minister on the need for peace talks. He added that military figures frequently dictate political direction within the media space.
To je jedno ze zásadních nebezpečí, které v dnešní době vzniká,
Klaus stated in the interview, according to Echo24. He described this trend as one of the fundamental dangers emerging today.
The former president argued that generals should act as operational figures while politicians make policy decisions. He criticized high-ranking military officials for making daily television appearances and public judgments.
Klaus also directed indirect criticism at Michal Koudelka, the head of the Czech Security Information Service (BIS), according to Echo24. He stated that in the past, an intelligence chief appearing on television was unthinkable.
V prvních 25 letech po pádu komunismu jsme nevěděli, jak se šéf BIS jmenuje,
Klaus remarked, as reported by Echo24. He noted that intelligence leaders should work quietly on security matters rather than promenading on television.
Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babiš also criticized Koudelka earlier in October following a government meeting. Babiš referenced the intelligence agency’s Latin motto audi, vide, tace
to emphasize that service members must listen, watch, and remain silent about their work.
Klaus argued that modern intelligence chiefs seek excessive public visibility through television appearances. He contrasted this with the first 25 years following the fall of communism when the head of the BIS remained unknown to the public.
Babiš suggested that Koudelka should review the agency’s Latin motto audi, vide, tace
after a government meeting in the first half of October. He stated that intelligence information belongs to the government rather than public communication channels.
Related reading