The government is planning to invest close to 600 million crowns to increase security at the country’s international airports in Brno, Karlovy Vary, Ostrava and Pardubice. A special commission is to be set up to assess their needs, Radio Prague writes.

According to the Government, the implemented security project at the Prague Airport, as announced today, consists of 11 measures that will significantly help the Czech Republic's security forces to fight extremism, organized crime, as well as trade in arms and drugs. These include, among others:

• Automatic Biometric Face Detection System;
• Recognition of vehicles;
• Validation of entry extended by travel documents reader;
• Radiation detection to provide 100% radiation monitoring of cargo;
• Control of suspected objects and detection of dangerous chemicals, especially with a focus on narcotic and psychotropic substances or explosives;
• Ensuring external border surveillance of the airport area;
• Joint training of airport staff and security forces.

The total cost of the project is CZK 154 million excluding VAT (CZK 186.5 million including VAT). "For the Ministry of Finance, which, as the sole shareholder, exercises the ownership rights of the Czech Republic in Český Aeroholding, I can declare that these funds have been invested in full compliance with the business strategy and strategic plan for the development of Václav Havel Airport and represent an important investment in the strategic assets of the Czech Republic," says Czech Finance Minister Alena Schillerová.

Source: Office of the Government of the Czech Repuiblic

Read also Number of checked passengers at Václav Havel Airport Prague grew by nearly 18% last year. In 2017, as per the Prague Airport 2017 operating results, the airport handled a total of 15,415,001 passengers, which represents a 17.9% growth compared to 2016. A total of 148,283 take-offs and landings were performed and 42,233 passengers passed through the airport each day. A total of 69 regular carriers operated their flights from Václav Havel Airport Prague in 2017, connecting it with 163 destinations. The majority of passengers headed from Prague to European cities and to Africa,  where a 66% year-on-year growth was recorded mainly thanks to the increased interest in trips to its Northern holiday resorts. In 2017, among the most frequent flights were flights between Prague and Great Britain (with up to 15 destinations and +6.61% handled passengers), followed by destinations in Italy (+29.6%), Germany (+8.1%), Russia (+24.56%) and France (+9.02%).