Kalinak: Hundreds of Soldiers and Police Officers Want to Join Gendarmerie Corps

Bratislava, 12 November (TASR) - The Defence Ministry has registered more than 1,200 applicants from among professional soldiers and hundreds more from the Police Corps and former police officers for service in the Gendarmerie Corps, stated Defence Minister Robert Kalinak (Smer-SD) following the government meeting on Wednesday. The third training course is currently underway, and 300 gendarmes will be trained within a few days. They are expected to be deployed by the end of the year or at the turn of the year. According to Kalinak, gendarmes should start operating in four areas of Slovakia. "Interest is relatively high, which has surprised us. We've had over 1,200 applications from among professional soldiers and hundreds more from the Police Corps, as well as former police officers. The third training course is currently underway, and within a few days we'll have trained 300 gendarmes," said Kalinak. By the end of the year or at the turn of the year, he and Interior Minister Matus Sutaj Estok (Voice-SD) would like to provide more detailed information about the deployment of gendarmes. The Defence Ministry wants to gradually test the reaction to gendarmes and whether they have any shortcomings in their training. am/df