The Interior Ministry has bought special equipment and weapons worth Sk61.3 million (€2.036 million) to transport euro banknotes from the Österrechische Nationalbank to the National Bank of Slovakia (NBS).
Vladimíra Hrebeňáková, spokeswoman for the Interior Ministry, informed the SITA newswire that the ministry bought the equipment for transport of 188 million pieces of euro banknotes from funds provided by the NBS. Slovakia will return the banknotes, worth €7 billion, probably in 2010, at the equivalent value. The ministry bought six off-road vehicles, machine guns, pistols and communication equipment.
The specific dates and transport routes are classified, Hrebeňáková said. Elite units of both countries will provide security. Interior Minister Robert Kaliňák said at a recent meeting with his Austrian counterpart, Marie Fekter, that the transport would not affect the public. If necessary, a special regiment will be deployed, Hrebeňáková said. SITA
Compiled by Zuzana Vilikovská from press reports
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