The Czech Defence Ministry is planning to support the Libyan coast guard by sending 20,000 euros for the training of its members, Jakub Fajnor, from the Defence Ministry press department, told journalists.
Defence Minister Lubomir Metnar (for ANO) will submit the proposal to the government on Tuesday, Fajnor said. The EU supports the Libyan coast guard in order to check the migration across this country to Europe.
Members of the Libyan National Coast Guard and navy are trained within the EUNAVFOR MED Sophia mission. So far, EU countries have spent 2.7 million euros on it. "For the sake of its continuation, one has to spend another 120,000 euros, which now includes the proposed Czech help," Fajnor said.
In 2016 and 2017, the Czech Republic contributed a total of 90,000 euros.
"The proposed financial contribution in support of the training of the Libyan National Coast Guard is in harmony with the Czech government's long-term policy. It supports a system solution to the migrant crisis including an increased cooperation with the countries of origin and transit of migration in order to stem it directly within the countries of origin," Fajnor said.
The EUNAVFOR MED Sophia mission is to combat people smugglers in the Mediterranean. The Czech Republic joined it in 2015. The Czech military has four members at the mission command in Rome.
