Czech MPs up quota for army missions abroad
The parliament raised the quota for Czech soldiers in missions abroad from the current 806 to 1,081 for 2018, 1,191 for 2019 and 1,096 for 2020.
"We will operate in the countries we're in, and we will increase our presence in some missions, just like other countries," Defence Minister Karla Slechtova said on her ministry's website.
But the actual approval of the missions might hit a hurdle as the Communists, who are strongly anti-NATO, have stood up against any increases in the missions.
They are expected to informally back an emerging minority government led by billionaire Andrej Babis.
Leading the populist ANO movement, Babis, due to be named prime minister on June 6, is putting together a cabinet with the leftwing Social Democrats.
The two parties have 93 seats in the 200-member parliament and need the Communists with 15 votes for a majority.
The Communists are due to decide on their support for Babis's cabinet by end-June.
The measure to up quotas passed on Friday thanks to the support of opposition rightwing and centrist parties.
The legislation expects Czech army presence in Afghanistan, Iraq and Mali to grow by 275 people this year, while up to 290 soldiers may serve in the Baltic states.
"All the missions concern non-combat, training tasks. We are doing this to protect the Czech Republic and Europe from terrorism and illegal migration," said Slechtova.
