Czech Republic investigates possible illegal transportation of drones to Ukraine
Czech law enforcement agencies are investigating suspicions related to the export of drones from the Czech Republic to Ukraine. These include the possible misuse of diplomatic passports and the possible smuggling of drones by the military.
This was stated by Czech Defense Minister Jana Černohová in the Partie discussion program on CNN Prima News, Censor.NET reports with reference to Ceske Noviny.
As noted, this is the Nemesis project organized by the Skupina D association.
The deputy chairman of the opposition ANO, Radek Wondracek, who met with the minister during the debate, said that ANO would want to discuss the issue in the Chamber of Deputies. Earlier, Paweł Różyczka (ANO), deputy chairman of the Defense Committee of the Chamber of Deputies, expressed his suspicions.
On Thursday, February 6, the website Aktuálně.cz wrote that special forces illegally transported drones to Ukraine. The drones came from a collection organized, among others, by actor Ondřej Vetch. The server stated that the criminal proceedings regarding the army's cooperation with the Skupina D association directly concerned special forces.
Military police spokeswoman Kateržina Mlynková told the server that "possible unauthorized handling of the property of the Ministry of Defense and possible use of military personnel outside the tasks of the armed forces" is being investigated.
According to Aktuálně.cz, military materials were transported to Ukraine by members of the 601st Special Forces Group, but they did not have parliamentary permission to do so.
"All the suspicions are now being investigated by law enforcement agencies, and I am glad about this because this is the only way we will get forgiveness or a sentence, regardless of whether there was a violation or not," Chernokhova said.
"The accusations are, of course, serious," the minister added, emphasizing that she cannot ignore them.
Last year, the minister said that the Military Inspectorate of the Ministry of Defense was looking into the matter. According to her, the case is currently being investigated by the military police.
She denied that she would put pressure on anyone or incite the police or the inspection.
"I am firmly convinced that the Nemesis Association, which is headed by all those people who are speaking in this public space, will explain all these issues," Chernokhova said.
She emphasized the need to comply with the law and due process and defended herself against accusations that she did not want to help Ukraine.
She also said that it does not seem normal to her that one of the founders of the association, Jan Veverka, has a diplomatic passport. "He got it in the wrong way, it does not comply with all the legal norms that we have in the ministry," she added.
She said that she also wants to address this issue to President Petro Pavel, as it also concerns the commander of the 601st Group, General Miroslav Hofirek.
The Czech minister added that diplomatic passports should not be issued at the checkpoint of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on the basis of the signature of an unauthorized person, i.e. General Hofirek.
