Change of Command at the Peacekeeping Battalion

Szöveg: SFC Csaba Búz | 2011. december 21. 10:01

The handover-takeover ceremony of the change of command at the Hungarian–Romanian Joint Peacekeeping Battalion has recently been arranged with all due solemnities in the Hódmezővásárhely Garrison of the HDF 5th Bocskai István Infantry Brigade. The outgoing Commander, Maj. Árpád Szász transferred his authority to his Romanian colleague, Maj. Mircea Stefanaut.

With a view to supporting the international peacekeeping and humanitarian activities, the governments of Hungary and Romania concluded an agreement in Budapest on the establishment of a joint peacekeeping battalion, in high level of readiness on March 20, 1998. The command and control of the battalion is managed according to NATO-principles. The two nations fulfil the leading positions by annual rotation. At present the troops of the Hungarian module are drawn from the 5/3rd Bercsényi Miklós Infantry Battalion, and the Romanian one from the 191st Mechanised Infantry Battalion of Arad.

Following the reception of the superior, the Commander of the 18th “Banat" Infantry Brigade Brig. Gen. Gheorghe Simina highlighted in his speech the excellent co-operation and results achieved in the course of the joint exercises of the Romanian and the Hungarian armed forces. “The battalion has not participated yet in joint missions, but the tasks executed on the exercises proved that it would be suitable for this, too" – he said.

In his speech Brig. Gen. Dr. Gábor Böröndi, the Commander of the HDF 5th Bocskai István Infantry Brigade emphasized: “The brigade regards each and every arrangement of the battalion as priority international task. The joint exercise WISE FORESIGHT 2011/ HUN of this year also proved the good relations between the armies of the two countries".

The Ambassador of Romania, Victor Micula also participated in the ceremony, and said: “The agreement signed by both partners was a pioneer gesture in Europe, where only very few countries have been able to work together so successfully."

As a continuation of the ceremony, the flag symbolizing the command was handed over in Arad, too.

Photo: Arnold Medgyesi

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