They Have to Prove Themselves to Their Own Soldiers from Tomorrow on

Speaking at the graduation ceremony, Lt.-Col. Dr. Henrik Hegedűs welcomed on behalf of
the ZMNE Lajos Fodor, MoD State Secretary for Public Administration, Gábor Márki, MoD
Deputy State Secretary for Defence Economy, Dr. Gábor Szarka, MoD Cabinet Chief, Gen.
Dr. Tibor Benkő, Chief of the MoD Defence Staff and Col. (Eng.) Prof. Dr. József Padányi,
DSc, the acting rector of ZMNE as well as the generals, university professors and the guests
present at the event. Dr. Hegedűs went on reading out orders and decrees, then MoD State
Secretary Lajos Fodor delivered a festive speech, greeting all participants on behalf of the
Minister of Defence, first of all the ‘heroes of the day’, i. e. the ‘honvéd’ officer cadets, the
new graduates of the HDF Ludovika Battalion.

“This day is of special significance because it marks the beginning of something that is
both old and new. This is the Ludovika Academy, the Ludovika officer training program",
said Lajos Fodor. He recalled that Ludovika was a household name in the past century, as
the officers of the age – thanks to the general education, the thorough military knowledge
and the practical expertise that they acquired there – became capable of commanding the
military units, training the sub-units and representing the Hungarian Defence Forces in the
contemporary society. “The graduation day is a milestone in your life", the State Secretary
stated. “A chapter has ended and a new one has just started. From tomorrow on, you have
to prove yourselves to your own soldiers, bearing full responsibility as commanders."

The
State Secretary went on talking about the transformations implemented by the new MoD
leadership over the last 12 months. The transformation of the ZMNE fits in this pattern of
processes, since the institution is going to be integrated into the structure of the new National
Public Service University. It will preserve the characteristics of military training, and at the
same time it will offer a wider curriculum which opens up for the graduates the possibility
of finding jobs in other fields of public service. The State Secretary praised the diligence of
the ‘honvéd’ officer cadets, in recognition of which they can receive the fruit of their work
on the graduation day, i.e. the university degree and their reassignment order.

Lajos Fodor
emphasized that the new officers must meet an important expectation, namely that by setting
a personal example they should educate their subordinates in loving our homeland, defending
our country and respecting other nations.

In what followed, ‘honvéd’ officer cadet Tibor Ágoston took the floor, speaking on behalf of
his comrades. In his reply speech, he thanked their professors for building up their students’
knowledge and paving the way for them, pointing out that the ‘Ludovika’name is binding, so
all the students strive to do their best to enhance the good reputation of this noble institution.

At the standing reception held after the ceremony, Col. (Eng.) Prof. Dr. József Padányi,
the acting rector of ZMNE made a toast, in which he expressed his hope for the successful
military career of the officer cadets in the coming years.

Photo: Gábor Galovtsik

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