The Czech Republic wants to enshrine NATO's defense spending target of 2% of gross domestic product in law.
The liberal-conservative cabinet in Prague introduced a bill to implement the measure in parliament on Wednesday.
The move was described as an important step for the country's security by the Czech prime minister, Petr Fiala. The goal is to be reached by 2025 at the latest. For the current year, defence spending of about 1.5% of gross domestic product is planned.
The government says it is responding to the changed security situation caused by the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Among other measures, the purchase of 210 CV-90 armoured personnel carriers from Sweden is planned.
A debate is under way within the Western defence alliance about the 2% target. "Some allies are strongly in favour of making the current 2% target a minimum," NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said recently.
Another planned change to the law would give the Czech Defence Ministry access to state databases to collect information on men and women fit for military service in the event of war. The country ended compulsory military service at the end of 2004.
