FAQ

Odpovědi na nejčastější dotazy ohledně CHH a jeho práce. 

What is the unit called?
Centre against Hybrid Threats (Centrum proti hybridním hrozbám).

Why was it established?
The Centre was established based on a recommendation that stemmed from the preliminary conclusions of the National Security Audit, which identified various types of hybrid threats, including various forms of radicalisation, influence operations and disinformation campaigns from abroad, as serious threats to internal security and recommended that specialised units be set up within all relevant government bodies.

The Centre itself was set up following a declaration by the Minister of the Interior in May 2016, after the conclusion of the first phase of the National Security Audit.

The need to tackle new asymmetric, or hybrid, threats was also confirmed by the government-approved National Security Strategy of the Czech Republic in 2015.

As of 1 July 2022, the counter-terrorism agenda has been transferred away from the Centre, which now focuses exclusively on hybrid threats.

When did it start operating?
On 1 January 2017.

Why is it at the Ministry of the Interior?
This is because questions pertaining to internal security, regardless of the methods and the context in which they occur, legally fall within the responsibility of the Ministry of the Interior, including hybrid influence.

Is this a new institution?
No. The unit was set up within an existing department and with the existing budget of the Ministry of the Interior.

What does the Centre do?
It is essentially an expert analytical and conceptual unit focusing on threats to the national security of the Czech Republic that fall within the remit of internal security, such as foreign interference and disinformation impacting internal security or public order, security aspects of migration, strengthening the resilience of public administration bodies and other entities against foreign influence etc. The Centre was established based on a recommendation of the government-approved National Security Audit. The Centre monitors and evaluates detected problems and proposes substantive and legislative solutions, which it also implements where necessary. At the same time, the Centre disseminates expert information and raises awareness about the issues in question both towards the general public and professionals in the field.

What the Centre is not and what it will not do:

• The Centre is not a law enforcement agency nor an intelligence service.
• The Centre does not have a “button for switching off the internet”.
• The Centre does not force the “truth” on anyone, or censor media content. It does not remove any content from the internet or other (printed) media.
• It works primarily with open sources available to all and openly communicates with civil society, the media, and other entities.
• The Centre does not have the authority, nor does it actually put anyone in jail, interrogate anyone, or conduct any criminal proceedings with anyone.
• The Centre does not spread any kind of propaganda. It disseminates expertise relating to the field of internal security, and is modelled on similar teams that already exist in other countries.
• The Centre, among others, informs about serious cases of disinformation and provides expert opinions to the public as well as to government institutions. These expert opinions, as those of a government institution, fully respect of the constitutional order of the Czech Republic.

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