The Castle Guard is a specific unit of the Armed Forces of the Czech Republic directly subordinate to the Military Office of the President of the Czech Republic. The Castle Guard service personnel are selected and recruited from the Armed Forces of the Czech Republic, and, after the introduction of all-volunteer service, also through direct recruitment from the civilian sector based on specific criterions. The Castle Guard’s mission is based on assignments defined in Section 28 the Act No. 219/1999 Coll., on the Armed Forces of the Czech Republic, which defines that the Castle Guard:
a. Performs external security tasks to guard the Prague Castle, provides its defence and performs external security and defence of facilities that the President and his guest temporarily use;
b. Organises and performs military honours, primarily in official visits by other states’ representatives and during the calls heads of diplomatic missions have with the President;
c. Must not be used for performance of other tasks than those defined under a. and b. above, without the approval of the President.
Facility Security and Defence
The provision of external (perimeter) security and defence of facilities used by the President and his guests in the peacetime primarily involves performance of guarding duties in relation to defined structures, specifically safeguarding facilities against access by unauthorised persons and assigning forces and assets to defend them. In states of emergency resulting from non-military crises (such as terrorist threats, major public disorders, industrial accidents especially those involving hazmat, natural disasters) called in the Castle Guard’s area of territorial responsibility, or during the state of crisis following a military threat to the Czech Republic (such as violent action by foreign powers using military force, extensive sabotage activities, military aggression), the Castle Guard performs specific missions defined under the Contingency Plan of the Office of the President and the Castle Guard’s Combat and Mobilisation Readiness Plan.
Military Honours
Arranging and performance of military honours primarily involves protocol and representation activities of the President associated with the performance of his constitutional powers, with the performance of his capacity as the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Czech Republic and with supporting other protocol and representation activities mandatory for the President. Furthermore, military honours are conducted as a part of official events hosted by the President at the Prague Castle or in facilities used by the President for temporary residence, and honorary escorts and funeral functions in the whole territory of the Czech Republic.
