NATO's liaison team in Slovakia from 2016

The Cabinet on Wednesday approved the establishment of a NATO liaison team (NATO Force Integration Unit - NFIU) in Slovakia. NATO defence ministers approved the creation of the Unit at the beginning of October. The Unit will be based at the military barracks in the Bratislava borough of Vajnory and staffed by 41 persons, including 21 members of the Slovak Armed Forces. The remaining soldiers will come from other NATO-member states. Interest in sending soldiers to Slovakia has so far been shown by the Czech Republic, the United States, Germany, Hungary, Poland, Turkey and Romania. The main target of the NATO Force Integration Unit is to increase NATO's rapid reaction forces deployment and capabilities. The Unit should reach its initial operational capacity by July 2016, when the Warsaw summit is due to be held, and full operational capacity by the end of 2016. In times of peace the Unit will support planning activities, and supervise the preparations, coordination and the provision of a smooth admission of NATO coalition armies in case they are deployed in Slovakia. They'll also be responsible for coordinating exercises between NATO and the Slovak Armed Forces.