Report: Terrorist Threat in Slovakia Might Increase This Year
Bratislava, July 7 (TASR) – The threat of terrorism in Slovakia might increase this year in the context of increased security threats to EU-member countries, according to a Report on the Security Situation in Slovakia in 2015 acknowledged by the Government at its session on Thursday.
Threats could be linked mainly to security developments in Syria, Iraq, Libya and Afghanistan. The report reveals that military failures of terrorist organisations in the Middle East might prompt them to retaliate somewhere in Europe.
According to the report, the security situation in Slovakia in the upcoming period will be partly influenced by a wide spectrum of threats that had a negative impact on stability and security in the Euro-Atlantic space last year. “Threats arising from a so-called arc of instability ranging along the southern and south-eastern EU border are expected to persist due to local political instability and armed activities by terrorist groups,” states the document.
Competition for the position of leader of terrorist organisations seeking global jihad will also continue and might be reflected in efforts to carry out shock-provoking attacks in order to increase their organisers’ prestige. Returnees or smaller radicalised groups from the conflict-torn Syria and Iraq will represent a security threat as well.
With regards to current developments in countries afflicted by conflict or an unstable security environment, the rate of migration and refugee waves heading to the EU cannot be expected to slow down in the near future. “If borders are blocked in the long term by countries lying on the so-called Balkan route, the current route could be deflected to Italy and/or eastwards, and the eastern migration route could affect the territory of Slovakia as well,” states the report. In connection with growing terrorist activities in European countries and waves of refugees there is a threat of increased radicalisation of society in Europe, including in Slovakia.
