István Simicskó Holds Discussion with Serbian Counterpart on the Scope of Military Cooperation and Migration

István Simicskó underlined that cooperation must be based on mutual respect, and that the governments of Hungary and Serbia are equally committed to continuing cooperation. He pointed out that the Hungarian minority in Vojvodina and the Serbian minority in Hungary is a connecting force that further expands the scope of cooperation. The minister of defence noted that the National University of Public Service is cooperating with the Serbian partners, and so Serbian soldiers have opportunities to attend advanced training courses in Hungary.

Serbian Defence Minister Aleksandar Vulin said thanks for the participation of Hungarian troops in KFOR, a multinational peacekeeping force operating under NATO command in Kosovo. As he said, currently 373 Hungarian soldiers are serving in Kosovo, and Serbia considers unacceptable all initiatives aimed at reducing the troop levels in KFOR.

Speaking about illegal migration, he drew attention to the fact that Serbia acts as a responsible country, and therefore it does not shift the burden of handling migration to its neighbors. He pointed out that there is an excellent ongoing cooperation with the Hungarian Defence Forces and the intelligence agencies in the fight against migration and terrorism. Aleksander Vulin stated that the fight against terrorism is a national security priority, and went on saying that Serbia will take action against terrorism, irrespective of whether Serbia or another country is under threat.

It was revealed that the armed forces of Hungary and Serbia will hold two military exercises in the area of Serbia in September, and that the Hungarian minister of defence has invited his counterpart to visit Budapest to continue the dialogue about cooperation.

Photo: Tünde Rácz