Prague – Starting next year, one of the leadership branches of the European Border and Coast Guard Agency (Frontex) will be located in Prague. This branch will oversee activities of hundreds of agency police officers primarily stationed at airports across ten countries that lack a land border with non-EU states. Established in January, its current leadership is temporary in the Czech capital. Following today’s ceremonial event, Jiří Perníček, coordinator of the National Contact Point for Frontex, spoke to the media.
The purpose of establishing a headquarters in the Czech Republic is to decentralize management from the main office in Warsaw, Poland. There are seven branches, each with its leadership in different cities. The sixth branch, based in Prague, includes not only Czech police officers but also personnel from Belgium, Switzerland, Germany, Denmark, France, Ireland, Iceland, Luxembourg, and the Netherlands. “It is crucial that decisions regarding missions and the allocation of human and technical resources for specific states are made directly from a member state,” said police president Martin Vondrášek.
“This deployment allows management of the contingents to be much closer to service execution,” Vondrášek remarked. He noted that the previous centralized management was cumbersome, leading the Czech Republic to support this change and push for having one of the agency’s headquarters based in the country. According to agency executive director Hanse Leijtense, the formation of these contingents marks a new phase for Frontex, which aims to have 10,000 police officers by 2027.
Vondrášek indicated that the Czech Republic typically contributes around 140 police officers to Frontex missions annually. Currently, 25 Frontex officers are stationed at Prague Airport. “This may have laid the groundwork for establishing a headquarters here, as we have been very proactive at Prague Airport. We allowed them to operate directly, process passengers, and Frontex had no issues providing us with their experts,” Perníček clarified. The airport contingent now comprises around 200 police officers, with plans for future expansion. This unit is responsible for approximately 25 to 30 airports and also monitors maritime borders.
Perníček mentioned that personnel officers, analysts, and other staff will be located in Prague, ensuring the contingent operates independently. “Since January, the contingent has had a temporary headquarters here, which is set to evolve into an ‘antenna office’ in January next year. This will serve as the logistical and managerial center for the entire contingent,” the coordinator explained. (July 25)
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