Minister of Defence Meets With Hungarian Ambassador to Slovenia

The primary aim of the ambassador’s visit was to discuss the World War I centenary cooperation and the circumstances of building a central WWI memorial in Slovenia. The putting up of this monument has special significance, which was reaffirmed by the two countries’ speakers of parliament this July. The two sides have already agreed on the site of the memorial, but its exact details need to be discussed further.

The minister and the ambassador agreed that the Isonzo Express has become a very successful program among WWI commemorations, as year by year, this event brings more and more interested visitors through Austria to Slovenia and Italy, to the Isonzo valley, the southern section of the WWI frontlines.

Another topic at the discussion was the sports event “Centenary Remembrance Run for the Heroes", which is to be organized between 11–24 October on the 100th anniversary of the Caporetto breakthrough, with the participation of Hungarian soldiers and staff members of the MoD Institute and Museum of Military History.

Other current topics of the meeting included the participation of the armed forces of Slovenia in exercises in Hungary this year, and the further possibilities of cooperation as well as the upcoming meeting of the Slovenian and Hungarian chiefs of defence. In the interest of the exchange of experiences about the volunteer operational reservist system of the two countries, preparations are already under way for a professional-level meeting.

Photo: Tünde Rácz