BRUSSELS ALLOCATES 10 MILLION EUROS TO STRENGTHEN BALKAN MEDICAL TASK FORCE

BRUSSELS, OCTOBER 2 /SRNA/ - The EU Council said it adopted an assistance measure under the European Peace Facility /EPF/ worth €10 million with the aim of strengthening operational capabilities and readiness of the Balkan Medical Task Force /BMTF/.

It said that The BMTF pulls together military medical capabilities of regional partners to provide military medical support to international operations.

According to the Council, the EPF assistance measure will also strengthen the BMTF's capacity to protect the civilian population in the event of natural or man-made disasters.

The statement says the BMTF already participates in military exercises to train its personnel and strengthen its operational readiness and interoperability, and is a tangible example of regional cooperation in the defence sphere.

The EU Council noted that this decision underscores the EU's and Member States' continued engagement with Western Balkan partners on security and defence.