PRAGUE (Sputnik) — The air forces of the Czech Republic and Slovakia will cooperate in protection of the air space over the two countries starting from summer 2017, Czech Defense Minister Martin Stropnicky said Monday.
"We will jointly protect the 'Czechoslovakian' air space starting from the summer. The agreement has been approved today by the government," Stropnicky wrote on his Twitter page.
Earlier in the day, the Czech government approved the new cooperation plan between the two countries, while Slovakia approved the deal in December 2016. The agreement will be considered by the parliaments and then signed by the leaders the two countries.
The new agreement will prescribe, in particular, that Slovak or Czech pilots may use weapons against a civil aircraft kidnapped by terrorists over the territory of other state in case of a terrorist attack.
