Czech government to send soldiers to Hungary

Prague, Oct 6: The Czech government has approved Monday the sending of 25 soldiers and engineering equipment to assist Hungary in guarding the Schengen border for a period of two months, Czech Defence Minister Martin Stropnicky said on Monday.

The Czech government also approved a mandate for Interior Minister Milan Chovanec for the Thursday meeting of the EU interior ministers on the migration crisis in Luxembourg.

Chovanec, who was also at the press conference, said he will continue to reject the creation of a permanent redistribution mechanism of refugees in the EU, Xinhua news agency reported.

Stropnicky said the Czech soldiers would be deployed in Hungary from October 15 to December 15.

The defence ministry will send five heavy trucks to transport materials with operator for the construction of the border fence poles and 10 field kitchens, each of them can prepare a meal for 60 people. All the costs will be covered by Czech defense ministry.

Stropnicky said this is the first phase, there is also a possible further development.

Chovanec said the Czech government considers to provide more help to Hungary by sending further dozens of soldiers and policemen.

He said more than a hundred policemen and soldiers together with technology such as night vision devices will be sent.

IANS