Interior Minister Matus Sutaj Estok announced on Friday that exercises aimed at combating illegal migration and smuggling have begun along Slovakia’s border with Ukraine. The drills are intended to alleviate the strain caused by irregular migration on the external Schengen border, as authorities look to deter and apprehend smugglers trafficking items such as cigarettes, drugs, and weapons into the country.
Sutaj Estok stated that the primary objective of these exercises is to prevent risk-related or interest groups from illegally entering Slovakia. He also highlighted an increase in attempts to cross the border with Ukraine recently. To address this issue, the Interior Ministry plans to enhance its video observation system and drone technology.
Over 400 officers are participating in the training exercises, which will continue until Saturday, according to Lubomir Solak, president of the police force. Jan Dudas, the president of the Bureau of Border and Alien Police, revealed that nearly 700 individuals have tried to cross the Ukrainian border since January this year, with most being Ukrainian men attempting to avoid conscription.
Dudas explained that those who pose no security risk usually seek temporary shelter in Slovakia, where they remain under the protection of the Slovak Republic. The country does not send them back unless they present a threat.
For years, Slovakia has been a transit point for migrants from the Middle East and Afghanistan who are trying to reach Western Europe after entering the EU via the Balkan corridor, through Hungary from Serbia. Following the escalation of the Ukraine conflict with Russia in February 2022, Slovakia transformed into an entry point for refugees from Ukraine. As of the end of March this year, Eurostat data shows that Slovakia has counted a total of 118,425 migrants from neighboring Ukraine.