Discussing Issues of Regional Security
Szöveg: Defence Staff | 2015. október 9. 13:58On 7 October an official Serbian–Hungarian border meeting took place in Sombor between Serbian Chief of Defence Gen. Ljubiša Diković and Hungarian Chief of Defence Gen. Dr. Tibor Benkő. Military-to-military relations between Serbia and Hungary are traditionally good, and are further strengthened through regular meetings.
The Wednesday meeting provided an opportunity to discuss issues of regional security and the current state of bilateral military cooperation. The main emphasis was laid on coordination of military activities in response to the crisis caused by illegal migration. The wave of migration in 2015 presents an unprecedented challenge to Hungary because relative to the population figures in the European Union, most illegal migrants arrive in Hungary.
Serbia is struggling with similar problems, so it is indispensable for the two countries to coordinate the military aspects.
In accordance with the Hungarian government’s decision, a Temporary Security Barrier has been constructed along the Hungarian–Serbian border in the interest of reducing the flow of illegal migration. At the Hungarian–Serbian intergovernmental meeting held in September 2015, it was made clear that this measure is not directed against Serbia. In what followed, the Hungarian Defence Forces started Operation “Decisive Action 2015" on 9 September 2015. In compliance with the regulations of the Vienna Document, Hungary informed Serbia about the start of the operation. After an amendment to the National Defence Act came into force, the Hungarian Defence Forces started the concrete task execution and provided designated forces to cooperate with the units of the Ministry of the Interior dealing with the crisis situation caused by migration.
At the border meeting, the two partners agreed that the current situation demands a solution, the challenges demand responses, and further cooperation must play a key role in that. The Hungarian Chief of Defence emphasized that the role of Hungarian soldiers in the current situation does not pose any risks to Serbia. The military tasks that are being carried out in the region of the Serbian–Hungarian border affect neither the earlier started cooperation nor the combined training events and exercises. The two chiefs of defence are maintaining direct and continuous contact with each other.
Photo: vs.rs
