Austrian Armed Forces Help Slovakia in Fight Against Foot-and-Mouth Disease

A total of 53 members of the Austrian Forces Disaster Relief Unit (AFDRU) are deployed following a request for assistance under the EU Civil Protection Mechanism, the Ministry of Defense announced in a statement on Friday. On Wednesday evening, the Armed Forces soldiers began cleaning large vehicles at the Rajka border crossing between Slovakia and Hungary.

Armed Forces Assistance in Slovakia Aims to Prevent Further Spread of Foot-and-Mouth Disease

Up to 25 vehicles are decontaminated hourly to allow entry into Slovakia. A military representative explained: The animal disease, which originally broke out in Hungary and first appeared in Slovakia in the immediate vicinity of the Rajka border crossing on the Slovak side, is to be prevented from further spreading in Slovakia. This also means protection for Austria, as the border crossing is located in the tri-border area, and it is not far to Nickelsdorf, Zurndorf, or Pama (all in the Neusiedl am See district) in Northern Burgenland. The fulfillment of the mission must be carried out day and night in shifts to prevent the spread of the disease to other countries.

Measures Against Foot-and-Mouth Disease Needed Across Borders

"The threat of foot-and-mouth disease requires swift and coordinated action across national borders," said Defense Minister Klaudia Tanner (ÖVP). "As a reliable partner within the European Union, Austria is making an important contribution to containing this animal disease in Slovakia with the deployment of our soldiers." The swift action, expertise, and readiness of the soldiers "once again underscore the importance of our armed forces as an indispensable pillar in national and international crisis management. This mission shows how important European solidarity and cooperation are in times of crisis," emphasized Tanner. Most of the 53 soldiers, in comparison between federal states, come from Styria with 19 people. Representatives from Lower Austria, Vienna, Upper Austria, Salzburg, Tyrol, and Vorarlberg are also involved. The unit is reinforced by militia members and is deployed with 18 vehicles, including six special vehicles. Currently, 1,000 liters of water and 100 liters of chemicals are needed per hour for disinfection.

Fight Against Foot-and-Mouth Disease: More Than 700 Vehicles Already Treated by Armed Forces

By Friday morning, more than 700 vehicles had already been decontaminated. The highest priority is self-protection: of the soldiers, civilians, and the population, as well as preventing contamination from spreading to Austria. The AFDRU, a special unit of the armed forces for disaster relief operations at home and abroad, specializes in technical assistance, decontamination measures, and humanitarian support and is part of the European Civil Protection Mechanism, according to the Ministry of Defense. The AFDRU has extensive experience in international deployments and contributes significantly to the protection of the population in crisis situations with its expertise. Most recently, the unit was deployed, for example, during the catastrophic earthquake in early 2023 in the Turkish-Syrian border region. During the devastating tsunami in 2004 in Southeast Asia, the AFDRU prepared two million liters of drinking water in Sri Lanka.

(APA/Red)

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