Security Forces Launch Green II Operation; Checks Conducted Not Only at Borders

Bratislava/Medvedov, 30 March (TASR) - Slovak security forces, primarily the police and Financial Administration (the tax and customs office), launched a preventive operation called 'Green II' on Monday, Interior Minister Matus Sutaj Estok (Voice-SD) announced at a press conference at the Police Detention Facility for Foreigners in the village of Medvedov (Trnava region). Czech Interior Minister Lubomir Metnar also attended the event. The security forces are inspecting vehicles not only at certain border crossings along the borders with Hungary and Austria, but also inland. The checks are focused on illegal migration. According to the Slovak minister, the checks are being carried out by security forces at land borders, on waterways and at railway connections. "As part of this operation, checks are also being conducted on intra-Schengen flights at the international airports in Bratislava and Kosice. At the same time, enforcement has been stepped up at the external border with Ukraine, where we've already managed to apprehend three illegal migrants today," he said, noting that it's precisely at the Ukrainian border where border guards are recording the highest number of cases of illegal border crossings. Sutaj Estok noted that the global security situation has deteriorated, citing, for example, the war in the Middle East. "I want to state clearly that Slovakia is prepared to protect our borders actively, and we're equally fully prepared for what's most important, which is to protect the European Union's external borders," he added, noting that Slovakia is also ready to assist with the protection of the Hungarian-Serbian border. Minister Metnar emphasised that Slovakia and the Czech Republic share the same views on security. "These actions are proof of our readiness and mutual cooperation," he stated. According to him, the Czech Republic is equally prepared to continue with similar preventive security operations. The Czech minister also highlighted the cooperation between Czech and Slovak authorities in the arrest of one of the suspects in an arson attack that took place in the Czech town of Pardubice on 20 March. According to Metnar, five individuals have been identified and detained so far. The Czech Republic is requesting the extradition of a suspect detained by the Slovak authorities. am/df