A 55-member Czech police contingent left on Monday for a mission to Macedonia and Serbia to help guard the border in connection with the migration crisis, Czech News Agency (CTK) informs.
Police President Tomas Tuhy said the police who return from these foreign missions gain experience that is valuable for the Czech Republic.
“Since the security situation in Europe has deteriorated due to illegal migration and terrorist attacks that occurred in some EU countries, the Czech police need to get ready for the new forms of threats,” Tuhy said, adding that similar missions help the police get prepared for these security threats.
The Macedonian and Serbian ambassadors to Prague, Paskal Stojceski and Vera Mavric, thanked the Czech police for their support.
Usually, the Czech police patrols assist their foreign colleagues in monitoring the border, performing security checks and searching vehicles.
The Czech police foreign missions started last year in reaction to the outbreak of the migrant wave. More than 400 police officers have participated in 12 missions so far. They have been deployed in Greece, Hungary, Macedonia and Slovenia until now, or in countries on the Balkan route that was flooded by incoming refugees especially in late 2015.
Five Czech police teams have already been deployed in Macedonia, while the team heading for Serbia will be the first one to operate in the country.
