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To free or not to free (ride): a comparative analysis of the NATO burden-sharing in the Czech Republic and Lithuania – another insight into the issues of military performance in the Central and Eastern Europe

ABSTRACT In this paper we argue that free riding within NATO should be assessed from a microeconomic point of view. In particular, nations with a communist background should be appraised in a much broader perspective than the 2% GDP spending target, or number of soldiers on deployment. In comparison with post-Soviet countries such as Lithuania, wealthy post-communist country such as Czechia where defence institution experienced an extensive militarisation of society and economy in the Soviet style, continues to fail in reducing their military-administrative complexes, as well as maintaining an excessive structure of militarised civilian activities; e.g., sport clubs, folkloric choirs, medical and educational facilities, established for purpose of autonomy from civil society. Hence, increasing defence spending to 2% GDP can have the effect of strengthening this structure when weak defence institutions are not able to manage their entire defence budget to achieve military modernisation, as has happened in Czechia.