ABOUT 1,300 Slovak and Czech soldiers together with 1,200 Hungarian and Polish are slated to participate in the Ground Pepper 2014 military training as a reaction to the developments in Ukraine.
Training is planned for autumn to the Lešť and Kamenica nad Cirochou training complexes. Slovakia will participate with land and air forces including 5th Special Purpose Regiment using around 70 pieces of wheeled mechanics and approximately 40 pieces of tracked mechanics. Training is aimed to scrutinize and synchronize planning and running operations of V4 forces in case some NATO member country is attacked, Sme daily reported.
Security analyst Marián Majer deems it the biggest military training since 1989. Training was originally meant as Slovak-Czech operation but expanded to all V4 countries since the group plans to adopt declaration on security and defence, he said. Visegrad Group (V4) countries, are to discuss the joint training at the summit next week in Budapest.
In Slovakia, there will 28 military trainings in H2 2014, in which also NATO members will participate. Total expenses on training and military missions will exceed €759,000 in this period, according to Sme.
Defence Minister Martin Glváč also announced increasing number of unplanned military trainings after the end sudden military tactics training Summer Storm 2014 which took place in early June, the SITA newswire reported on June 14.
“I assure you that there will be much more such trainings,” Glváč said, as quoted by SITA. “Our soldiers will train much more than they used to in past because we can find our weaknesses during those trainings.”
Compiled by Spectator staff from press reports.
The Slovak Spectator cannot vouch for the accuracy of the information presented in its Flash News postings.
