Report: Chinese spies "very active" in Czech Republic

Jan Gazdik
7. 11. 2013 13:31
Czech Military Intelligence: Chinese spies in Czech Republic operate under diplomatic cover and focus on political-economic sphere
Foto: Aktuálně.cz

Prague - Chinese spies are very active in the Czech Republic, warned Czech Military Intelligence (VZ) in its annual report for 2012.

"The Chinese military intelligence agency (2PLA - 2nd Department of the People's Liberation Army General Staff) and the civilian intelligence service (MSS - Ministry of State Security) are among very active intelligence agencies operating in the territory of the Czech Republic. Their members operate above all under the diplomatic cover of the Chinese embassy," said the report, adding that Chinese spies do not focus on the Czech military, but rather on the political-economic sphere.

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However, the report says that the most serious espionage threat to the Czech Republic in 2012 were the activities of Russian intelligence agencies. The efforts of the Main Intelligence Directorate (GRU) and the Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR) to infiltrate the Czech Defense Ministry have weakened, but members of these agencies are still operating in the Czech Republic under the cover of journalists, artists or even refugees. 

The report addressed also foreign threats. It said that the fall of Bashar Assad's regime will not end the Syrian crisis. "A significantly chaotic situation, characterized by a security vacuum, will emerge in Syria. Radicalism linked to ethnoreligious cleansing and power struggle will threaten not only the overall stabilization of Syria, but at the same time the fragile stability between religiously and ethnically diverse population across the region of Near and Middle East," said the report.

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The quality of the Afghan armed forces, is in spite of some recent improvements, is still low, said the report, adding that the country will need further financial aid and assistance from international forces. Also, there was no significant success in talks with insurgent groups and their reintegration in the society in 2012.

According to the report, Iraq is still suffering from the security vacuum produced by the withdrawal of US troops, and the Iraqi military and police forces will not reach full operational capability before 2020.

The report did not include any reference to the so-called Nagyova case, the largest scandal ever to hit the VZ. "It is the annual report for the year of 2012. The case you are referring to is mostly related to this year and furthermore it is still being handled by law enforcement agencies," said Defense Ministry spokesman Jan Pejsek, adding that the affair will be addressed in the next annual report.

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"In spite of the recent affair, which is related above all to the director of Military Intelligence and his predecessor, Military Intelligence carried out all the tasks it was assigned in 2012. The said affair did not affect the daily operation of Military Intelligence as an institution," said VZ acting director Rostislav Pilc.

Defense Minister Vlastimil Picek previously indicated in an interview with Aktualne.cz that the VZ's internal control department would be reorganized and get more powers in response to the Nagyova scandal.

The report also warns that Czech right-wing extremists are continuing in their attempts to infiltrate the military.

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