Brussels, 02/11/2010 (Agence Europe) - The European Commission has announced that, from 2 November, 175 border guards from other EU member states will be deployed to patrol the Greek-Turkish border across which there has been a sharp increase in illegal migration in recent months. European Home Affairs Commissioner Cecilia Malmström said on Friday 29 October that the European external border cooperation agency Frontex had signed the Operational Plan with the Greek authorities that will allow the deployment of the Rapid Intervention Border teams (RABIT) made up of 175 officers from 24 different member states and Schengen-associated countries for two months from 2 November. “The swift deployment of the RABIT teams and the large participation of member states to the joint operation are a clear signal of European solidarity towards Greece,” Malmström said, promising to travel to Greece at the end of next week to follow the deployment of the joint operation on the ground. On 24 October, Greece asked the European Commission for help, with deployment of Frontex to deal with the massive influx of non-EU citizens trying to enter Greece illegally (see EUROPE 10243 and 10246). The specialist border-control officers will be deployed in the area between Orestiada and Alexandroupolis and at the Border Crossing Point (BCP) at Kipi. “A significant deterrent effect is expected in terms of the activities of organized crime rings and other facilitators of irregular migration in the area,” said Malmström, noting that observance of fundamental human rights is expected from all participating officers at every stage of the deployment. Frontex reports that the following resources have been made available by member states under the Centralised Record of Available Technical Equipment (CRATE): one helicopter (Romania), one bus (Romania), five minibuses (one Romania, two Austria, one Bulgaria, one Hungary), 19 patrol cars (4WD) (seven Romania, three Austria, two Slovakia, seven Germany), nine thermo vision vans (two Austria, two Bulgaria, four Germany, one Hungary), three Schengen buses (one Austria, two Hungary) and three office units from Denmark. (B.C./transl.rt)