Lieutenant General Olivier Rittimann, the EUFOR Operation Commander, has given the green light for exercise Quick Response 2020 in June this year. The decision has been made after visiting EUFOR at Butmir witnessing first-hand the preparations and safety measures generated to make the exercise as safe and effective as possible.
COM EUFOR, Major General Reinhard Trischak was delighted with the decision and has planned to meet with BiH’s Minister of Defence and the Deputy Minister of Security early next week to coordinate the planning activity. COM EUFOR said,
“Exercise Quick Response 2020 is an amazing opportunity for EUFOR’s reserve forces to work with the authorities and law enforcement agencies of BiH first hand. Clearly COVID-19 will present challenges and limitations but it will not prevent EUFOR from showing how important it is to integrate fully with the people of BiH.”
Planning for Quick Response 2020 has been ongoing for many months with the Exercise Director and Chief of Staff EUFOR, Brigadier General Ernő Baráth chairing the Coordination Conferences involving all visiting troop nations. COS EUFOR said;
“I am pleased that all the hard work that everyone has done so far has paid off. The relationships we have already established will ensure everyone gets valuable training from the exercise.”
The annual Quick Response exercise will commence in August and will involve EUFOR permanent multinational troops plus rapid-reaction forces from Bulgaria, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Romania and the UK making EUFOR the largest international military presence in BiH. The exercise is designed to test and demonstrate EUFOR’s capability to quickly reinforce and position troops to guarantee ongoing security and stability.
Quick Response 2020 will be deployed across the entire country working in close partnership with local authorities, law enforcement agencies, and BiH armed forces. The effectiveness of these relationships is critical for the success of the exercise and maintaining the secure environment that exists today.
The top mission priority for Quick Response 2020 is to conduct it in a safe manner for all those involved and for the local communities close to the exercise areas. EUFOR will continue to monitor the ongoing global situation with COVID-19 and update the exercise status as conditions dictate.
