IDET
24.-26.5. 2023

The official opening was attended by Defence Minister Vlastimil Picek and other distinguished guests from home and abroad and took place in token of the twenty-year anniversary of IDET and especially of the Army of the Czech Republic.

The Exhibition of Defence and Security Technologies started in style with a military parade. The area in front of Hall P was lined with honour guards of the Army of the Czech Republic and filled with distinguished guests in uniforms of many European and distant countries. The opening included a traditional military ceremony with music and eagerly anticipated crossing formation of five aircraft of the Army of the Czech Republic, composed of CASA, JAS-39 Gripen and L-159 aircraft. All those present were welcomed by the Mayor Roman Onderka, who in his brief speech expressed the belief that weapons and security industries do not only symbolise wars, but also the means of acquiring and maintaining democracy. "Even weapons that are not used can discourage some from acts that have victims," said the Mayor and wished all those present a successful stay at the exhibition centre and in Brno.

The Minister of Defence Vlastimil Picek focused his opening speech on the twentieth anniversary of the Army of the Czech Republic. "The past two decades have certainly been long enough for the army to undergo a thorough transformation. It has been quite professional for nine years now, it is part of the allied troops, it decreased in size and it is technologically more advanced. Weapons, gear and equipment used by our forces are world class. It can not be otherwise, we have to replace the quantity by quality," said the minister, while emphasizing the need to keep up with the accelerating pace of development in defence technology. "Long-term postponement of investments in weapons and support programmes could mean that soon there would be a growing gap between our ambitions and our real capabilities," said Vlastimil Picek. IDET in his words is indicative of good relations of the Ministry of Defence with the Association of Defence and Security Industry and is also an ideal opportunity to ascertain mutually beneficial contacts within the Visegrad Four countries, NATO and the European Union.

His speech was followed by the Chief of Staff of the Army of the Czech Republic Petr Pavel, who recalled the extensive material exchange of our army in the last two decades. "Our twenty-years-old military, although slim and relatively modestly dressed, is in very good shape. For the funds it receives, it tries to look very good and fulfil all that is expected of it," assured Lieutenant General Pavel those present.

The distinguished guests at official opening of IDET included Chairman of the Foreign Affairs, Defence and Security Committee of the Senate of the Czech Parliament Jozef Regec, Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade Milan Hovorka and Chief Executive of the Fire and Rescue Service Drahoslav Ryba. Delegation of the Slovak Republic was led by Defence Minister Martin Glváč and further present delegations from Ministries of Defence and the General Staff included Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Egypt, Libya, Lithuania and Pakistan.