Czech Republic Dismisses Director Over Training of Chinese Military Experts

The Director-General of the Czech Fire Rescue Service, Vladimír Vlček, has dismissed Tomáš Dropa, director of the State Institute for Nuclear, Chemical, and Biological Protection. This action follows findings that the institute had been training Chinese military experts. Minister of the Interior Lubomír Metnar described the revelations as 'shocking' and announced Dropa's dismissal. The institute, which falls under the Fire Rescue Service, reportedly trained experts from a Chinese army academy for three years on handling radioactive and toxic materials, earning approximately three million Czech crowns. The BIS has long warned against such collaborations, citing scientific and industrial espionage as key activities of Chinese intelligence services.

The dismissal of a Czech institute director over training Chinese military experts highlights national security concerns and potential espionage risks associated with international collaborations.