Everybody Praises the Hungarian Soldiers’ Activity

With the expiry of his mandate, Maj.-Gen. Robert Brieger, the outgoing commander handed over the command of Operation EUFOR ALTHEA in Sarajevo to his compatriot, Austrian Maj.-Gen. Dieter Heidecker.

At the ceremony, Maj.-Gen. László Domján presented the “For the Alliance" medal to the outgoing commander. The decoration was awarded to Robert Brieger by Defence Minister Csaba Hende. With this medal, the Minister expressed his appreciation for the commander’s work and efforts made for the increasingly effective execution of the changed tasks of ALTHEA in the last one year. Besides, the medal also commemorates the excellent Hungarian–Austrian cooperation.

All superiors had a very high opinion of the Hungarian soldiers’ activity, Maj.-Gen. Domján said in answer to our question, adding that during his visit he informed himself of the activity of the Hungarian contingent and held discussions with the officers of the EUFOR Headquarters too.

Speaking at a staff meeting held for the Hungarian peacekeepers serving in Sarajevo, the commander of the HDF JFC gave the superior’s and all Hungarian soldiers’ regards on the occasion of the coming Christmas.

Outgoing commander Robert Brieger, incoming commander Dieter Heidecker and Gen. Sir Richard Shirreff, the NATO Deputy Supreme Allied Commander Europe (DSACEUR) expressed optimism about the current situation in Bosnia-Herzegovina. They said the objectives of the mission – capacity building and the training of the armed forces of BiH – are progressing satisfactorily, the cooperation with the local forces is exemplary and the threat of atrocities is diminishing.

Photo: Gábor Galovtsik