Slovak Defense Minister Frantisek Kasicky said Saturday the Slovakia would not withdraw its troops from Bosnia, according to a report reaching here from Bratislava, the capital of Slovakia. "We may move them to another base, but this will be made upon demands of the mission command," Kasicky said.
Arguing with the improving security situation in the country, the EU has agreed to reduce the number of its soldiers in the region from the current 6,000 to 2,500. Some countries, like Britain and Bulgaria, have already said that their country will withdraw or decrease their troops in this area. Slovakia has about 40 soldiers within the EU operation Althea, most of who are serving within the military police at the base of Tuzla. After the pullout from Iraq earlier this year, the Slovak army deployed totally some 550 soldiers in the international missions in Bosnia, Afghanistan, Cyprus and on the Golan Heights. |