Czech Railways to Set Up Its Own "Railway Police" — Faltýnek Ally Tipped to Lead It

The Czech Railway Administration (Správa železnic) is preparing to launch a new standalone unit — a Security Service already being informally dubbed the "railway police." According to sources close to government circles, the frontrunner for the director's post is Tomáš Drmola, a former deputy for property management with close ties to the influential ANO MP Jaroslav Faltýnek.

Drmola returned to the Railway Administration back in February and currently holds the position of sector specialist, the organisation's press office confirmed. According to the Administration's CEO Tomáš Tóth, it was Drmola who presented a development plan for the future security service as part of the selection process, though no official decision on the director's appointment has been made yet — should the position be filled from among existing staff, a formal competition will take place.

Drmola and Faltýnek have known each other since their school days — both attended the same grammar school in Prostějov, with Drmola a year behind. Their ties have endured even after Drmola left the Railway Administration: in recent years the two have repeatedly been seen together at social events, and last year Drmola was a guest at a private opening of an exhibition of Faltýnek's paintings.

According to sources in government circles, Drmola's return to the state organisation was facilitated specifically by Faltýnek and SPD deputy chairman Radim Fiala — another influential politician who, like Faltýnek, hails from Prostějov. Neither Faltýnek nor Fiala responded to questions about their role in the matter. Drmola himself also declined to comment, telling a reporter by phone, "I don't know you," before hanging up.

This is not the first time people linked to the Faltýnek–Fiala tandem from Prostějov — widely seen by MPs as the chief architect of the current ruling coalition — have landed positions within state institutions. Earlier this year it emerged that a post in Defence Minister Jaromír Zůna's cabinet had gone to Denis Melas, whose father also has ties to Faltýnek and Fiala; Melas left the ministry shortly after the story broke. There were also reports that Prague lawyer Petr Přikryl, who provided legal services to Fiala for many years, was elected to the board of the Supreme Audit Office.

The Railway Administration insists Drmola's appointment followed standard procedure. The competition was announced via a notice on the organisation's website last December, two months after the parliamentary elections. Spokeswoman Nela Fríbová said three candidates applied, with Drmola winning the process and starting full-time on 1 February. Key requirements included experience in security and knowledge of German, needed for liaising with rail infrastructure operators in Germany and Austria.

Drmola currently works within the division of deputy for economics Tomáš Čoček, focusing specifically on preparing the new security service, which is meant to reduce the Administration's reliance on external security agencies — with key stations to be guarded by its own staff going forward.

The new unit is officially set to launch in September 2026 — the Railway Administration's board approved the decision to create it on 22 June. The Security Service currently has around 60 staff members, with internal documents suggesting the maximum headcount could reach 160. Development in 2026–2027 will focus primarily on the Prague railway hub.

The subject is nothing new for Drmola: back in January 2016, while serving as a deputy at what was then the Railway Infrastructure Administration, he drafted a nine-page proposal calling for the creation of an armed Railway Police under the Interior Ministry, with police powers and hundreds of officers nationwide. He failed to see the idea through at the time: in late October 2018 he was forced to leave his post amid a reorganisation that coincided with an investigation into the controversial sale of railway land in Prague's Dejvice district to the company Amadeus Real, a deal in which Drmola had some involvement. He denied personal responsibility for the transaction at the time.

Drmola is not the only member of Faltýnek's "Prostějov circle" to land a transport-sector post since ANO came to power in 2014 — others from the same network have held positions at the ministry and the Railway Administration over the years. As for his personal relationship with Faltýnek, Drmola makes no secret of his admiration for the politician's artwork: "I have two of his paintings at home — one in the living room, one in the bedroom. I like them, to me it's beautiful contemporary art," he admitted.

Around Prague, based on reporting by seznamzpravy.cz