MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 20th July, 2023) The Czech parliament said on Wednesday it had backed a defense pact with the United States that allows for the US military presence in the Central European country.
The vote in the Chamber of Deputies, the lower house of parliament, has cleared the way for the deal's ratification by President Petr Pavel. The Senate approved it last week.
The lower house said the agreement would bolster Czech defense capabilities and provide a framework for the presence of US soldiers in the country as well as for a full-fledged cooperation between the Czech and US armed forces on Czech soil.
The US embassy in Prague welcomed the ratification of the treaty saying it would strengthen US and Czech security and help them defend their values.
Czech tv reported that the pact was approved overwhelmingly. A small group of opposition lawmakers from the Freedom and Direct Democracy party proposed putting it to a public vote first.
