Politický diskurz v kontexte prijímania obrannej dohody so Spojenými štátmi v Českej republike a na Slovensku
Political Discourse in the Context of Defence Cooperation Agreement Adoption in the Czech Republic and Slovakia

Summary/Abstract: The Russian invasion of Ukraine fundamentally transformed the European security environment and compelled states to reassess their foreign and defence policies. Within this context, the adoption of the Defence Cooperation Agreement (DCA) with the United States represented a significant strategic decision for both the Slovak Republic and the Czech Republic. The objective of this study was to identify and compare similarities and differences in the domestic political discourse surrounding the adoption of the DCA in these two states, with a specific focus on the role of disinformation narratives. The study was based on a qualitative content analysis of political discourse. The research examined official statements, parliamentary debates, press releases, and other forms of public communication by key political actors involved in the ratification processes in both countries. The analysis was limited to the specific periods during which the DCA was debated and approved in the Slovak Republic and the Czech Republic. The results indicated that although the DCA was successfully ratified in both states, the character of the political discourse differed substantially. In the Czech Republic, the ratification process was marked by broad political consensus, a predominantly substantive debate, and limited use of disinformation narratives. In contrast, the Slovak political discourse was highly polarized, emotionally charged, and characterized by the extensive use of anti-American, sovereignty-related, and security-based disinformation narratives. The intensity and framing of political discourse significantly affected the perceived legitimacy of the DCA. The research highlighted important implications for democratic decision-making, security policy legitimacy, and societal polarization in Central Europe

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