Slovakia is sending 50 police officers to neighbouring Hungary to protect the Schengen area borders (Hungary-Serbia) in the ongoing migration crisis, with Prime Minister Robert Fico, Interior Minister Robert Kaliňák and Police Corps President Tibor Gašpar seeing the officers off on Tuesday. According to Gašpar, it's the most numerous police squad to have ever operated abroad. The officers will be patrolling in groups of four, together with their Hungarian, Czech and Polish counterparts. "It's a great representation of Slovakia and also a pragmatic contribution; in the way that what we do in Gabčíkovo [Trnava region] is pragmatic, where we will house those seeking asylum in Austria", said Fico at the National Police Academy in Bratislava.
A total of 170 officers are coming to aid Hungary, with the Czechs sending 50 police officers and Poland 70. According to Fico, such a decision by the Visegrad Group of countries surprised their counterparts in the European Union. Hungary will look after the officer's accommodation, food, fuel and minor repairs. Fico announced that he and Kaliňák will visit the officers in about two weeks' time. Gašpar said that the squad is armed and equipped for patrols with handguns. The officers are also equipped with night vision goggles and four-wheel-drive vehicles. Gaspar said he doesn't expect them to actively intervene against migrants; rather they will only be there to assist.
The 50 police officers have been selected based on their multilingual abilities with 20 being from the Border and Alien Police Office, having experience with activities on the border. Another 30 policemen were sourced from Košice, Banská Bystrica, Nitra and Trnava.
