Slovaks are the least willing to defend their country with weapons in their hands compared to Czechs and Poles - survey

Slovakia received the lowest score in Central and Eastern Europe in terms of readiness to defend the country in the event of an attack, according to a survey by the independent think tank Globsec. Only 49% of Slovak respondents said they would take up arms, compared to 81% of Czechs and 84% of Poles, UNN writes with reference to Euractiv.

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The survey also showed that, despite the presence of a pro-Russian government, most Slovaks remain strongly pro-European. 75% of them would vote for the country to remain in the EU. This is slightly more than in the Czech Republic, where 72% would do the same.

As for the perception of Russia and China as security threats, more than half of Czechs consider both countries threatening. In Slovakia, half of respondents consider Russia a threat, but only 33% feel the same about China.

The former Czechoslovak countries also differ significantly in their susceptibility to disinformation and conspiracy theories. Only a third of Czechs believe in such narratives, which is the lowest rate in the region.

Instead, Slovaks, who have long been known for their vulnerability to disinformation, stand out in one particular aspect: more than a quarter of them rely primarily on personal contacts, such as family and friends, as their primary source of news.

Meanwhile, only 20% of Slovaks turn to mainstream media for information about world events. In the Czech Republic, this figure is 57%.

Addition

The EU has officially launched the FMBTech project with a budget of EUR 19 million, which brought together 26 organizations from 13 countries to modernize tanks for modern combat conditions. The aim of the project is to create maneuverable and intelligent tanks.