The last of eight new NATO mini-headquarters in Eastern Europe was opened in Slovakia
The NATO Force Integration Unit, the last of eight mini-headquarters in Eastern Europe, was opened in the Slovakian capital of Bratislava, Radio Svoboda reported. Its main task is the preparation of rapid response measures at need. 41 servicemen—21 from Slovakia and 20 on rotation from other NATO countries—will work in the mini-headquarters. It is expected that the center will become fully operational in June 2017.
“The signal is clear: NATO is here, in Slovakia. We are committed to protection of your country and people from any threats or act of aggression,” the Assistant Secretary General for Public Diplomacy, Tacan Ildem, stated at the opening ceremony. NATO establishes mini-headquarters in Eastern European countries to counter possible Russian aggression. Similar units are already operating in Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Romania and Bulgaria.
The Centers in Hungary and Slovakia will join them in the near future. Recently, military equipment and soldiers from the United States arrived in Poland as part of the NATO program aimed at deterring possible Russian aggression.