Prague Security Dialogue

Yesterday, the Prague Security Dialogue took place in Prague. Because I was interested in what would happen in the heat treatment sector if we did not produce cars but missiles, I signed up to participate. And what is my impression? I felt like I was at the beginning of Gorbachev’s “perestroika”. No one delved into ideology, and when someone hinted, the moderators of the discussion immediately cut it off. So, cool, argumentation prevailed over politics here. And what did I learn? Karel Havlíček summed it up at the beginning. Even though we do not know what we will do with the F35s, we take it as a done deal and our commitment to the USA. However, we need to completely reconsider our state policy and return to the ideas before World War II. We are one of the few countries in the world capable of completely manufacturing an aircraft, tank or cannon, but instead of manufacturing them, we buy them whole or assemble them from parts purchased elsewhere. Our share of our own production in projects such as the F35 or Temelín is deplorable.

One thing is negotiations and such contracts, but another is energy prices. If they are not at the same level as in the USA or China, how are we going to compete with that, and how are we going to produce anything under these conditions? And if the building permit procedure had been the same in 1938 as it is today, no Czech Maginot Line would have been built in the Sudetenland. The management of, for example, the Jizera Mountains Protected Landscape Area would not have given us approval for a building permit because a rare biotype is found there. I made it up a bit, but basically this was said there in different words.

I left with an optimistic smile on my lips. If we want to have top-notch weapons, we must also be clear about what we want and what we should develop. And once we know that, we must invest resources in it, from education to production facilities. Then we have a chance not only to defend ourselves, but also to be commercially successful in this segment.

And where was it? At the main station, in Fant’s Hall. It used to be the premises for first class passengers under Franz Josef. So it’s high time to get on that train ….

Jiří Stanislav

November 14,  2025