Armed Forces have deployed nearly 340 soldiers to conduct assistance tasks, all military units are on standby

All units and facilities of the Slovak Armed Forces have been on standby since Monday 16 March 2020. In practice, this means that the Armed Forces as a whole is poised to start carrying out assigned tasks within 6 hours of receiving a request for assistance.

On the military response to the coronavirus outbreak, Chief of Defence Daniel Zmeko said: "Based on my orders, all command bodies of the Armed Forces have been on 24-hour duty shifts, which allows for the requirements and tasks assigned to the Armed Forces by the Central Crisis Staff and the SVK Cabinet to be met as quickly as possible."

According to the Chief of Defence, in addition to delivering support to the Police Corps and setting up an isolated facility at the Training Centre Lešť, additional tasks can be undertaken by an extra 2,800 soldiers. At the same time, the Armed Forces remain committed to ensuring that all the duties that arise from legislation, such as protecting airspace or operating the radar field, continue to be performed.

After today's meeting of the Central Crisis Staff and the SVK Cabinet, the Armed Forces continue to draw plans for potential requirements that may be requested, should the coronavirus situation deteriorate. These could involve, for example, transporting material, protecting borders, including the "green borders", and deploying military medical professionals.

Since their activation, earmarked troops have been on mixed patrols with members of the SVK Police Corps. 339 soldiers have supported border checks and the coronavirus information campaign to date. Included in this number are also those participating in protecting the forward deployed aid station of the Institute of Infectology in Bratislava's Kramáre and the entrance to the Trebišov Hospital.