Michal Kudelka, the head of the Czech Republic's Information and Security Service, has stated that the current security situation in Europe and the world is the most threatening since the Second World War, according to a report by ČTK.
In comments made to the media following a meeting with the president, Kudelka pointed out that the threats emerging from the current security landscape could impact the Czech Republic directly.
He warned against dismissing the war in Ukraine or the conflict between Israel and Hamas in the Middle East as irrelevant to Czech interests.
"The aggressive Russian Federation is a serious threat to democratic European states, including the Czech Republic," noted Kudelka.
In his opinion, the potential for a resurgence of Islamist terrorism in Europe is also a concern.
"We must not downplay the risk, even though there is no specific intelligence indicating a direct threat to the Czech Republic's security at this time," he stressed.
President Petr Pavel echoed these concerns, suggesting a bleak outlook for the future and the possibility of further complications.
Pavel's visit to the BIS headquarters marked the first by a Czech president since Vaclav Havel in 1998. Pavel said that he considers such communication with the special services necessary, since the president should be as informed as possible.
The approach contrasts with that of Milos Zeman, the former president of the Czech Republic, who frequently critiqued the special services.
