PRAGUE, Nov. 29 (Xinhua) -- Beginning on Dec. 1, more Czech police officers will be patrolling the streets as the country tightens security measures for next month's Christmas holidays, senior officials said on Thursday.
Hundreds of police officers armed with long guns will take part in the patrol every day, according to Czech Interior Minister Jan Hamacek and Deputy Police President Martin Vondrasek.
Hamacek said that he had no information about any imminent threat to the Czech Republic. But the heads of the Czech security services advised to take security measures similar to those of previous two years for the Christmas holidays.
According to Hamacek, the strengthened security measures will end on Jan. 9, 2019. They will cover selected locations and events across the country, especially places with a higher concentration of people such as Christmas markets and public concerts, as well as airports, train stations and metro.
Police registered some 600 "soft targets" which are crowded places and are not permanently guarded, which might be targeted.
Vondrasek said police hold intensive talks with local authorities in this respect. He said that technical means will be used to increase security, not only in Prague but also in some other big cities in the country such as Brno and Olomouc.
Vondrasek said the measures were precautionary. Since March 2016, the first level of terrorism threat has been valid in the Czech Republic.
The Christmas security measures will also be taken at the Czech Republic's borders, and police will carry out random checks of Schengen flights, said Vondrasek.
