Pavel Appoints Hlaváč as New Chief of the General Staff

30.06.2026 11:02 HotInfo

President Petr Pavel appointed Miroslav Hlaváč as the new Chief of the General Staff of the Army of the Czech Republic at Prague Castle on Tuesday, June 30. He will assume the post effective July 1, replacing the army's current chief, Karel Řehka, whom the president simultaneously removed from the position. novinky.cz ↗

The appointment took place during a ceremonial act at the Castle. Hlaváč and Řehka are to officially hand over the post to one another, as is traditional, during a formal induction ceremony. Available information indicates that the change in the leadership of the General Staff had been prepared in advance and follows from the president's decision as commander-in-chief of the armed forces. lidovky.cz ↗

Miroslav Hlaváč takes charge of the army at a time when the Czech armed forces are focused on modernization and on fulfilling tasks arising from the security situation in Europe. The outgoing Chief of the General Staff, Karel Řehka, ends his term after a period during which the army addressed, among other things, issues of defense capability and readiness. idnes.cz ↗

Further developments will depend on how Hlaváč sets the leadership priorities of the General Staff after taking office. In the coming days, the key issues will be the actual handover of responsibilities and the continuity of command of the Czech army following the change at its highest professional post. seznamzpravy.cz ↗