Restructuring with a Change in Attitude

Speaking to a large audience, the State Secretary started off by recapping the first week’s developments after the change of government, pointing to the importance of making prompt decisions as the new administration had to be formed immediately. The MoD state secretaries, their deputies and close colleagues took office as early as the last day of May. The following days saw changes in the positions of the Chief of Defence and his deputy, while the leaders of the military security and intelligence bureaus and several (sub)departments were also replaced. In these days the new MoD leadership reviewed the Foreign Service positions and the roster of staff members appointed to these posts.

The Administrative State Secretary went on to speak about the progress made in the first month of the new government, during which the defence budget was reviewed and the HDF troops were dispatched to flood-stricken areas to join the relief efforts. The MoD reconsidered the mandates of the HDF missions within the same time frame, drawing on the experiences of the Defence Minister’s visits to the HDF contingents in Afghanistan and the Balkans and the lessons learned in the subsequent defence reviews. The new leadership was kept busy with organizing the international air show and working out the new order of the commissioning ceremony. The choice of location for the third 3D NATO radar station was added to the agenda in that month too, and a decision on this issue is expected to be taken soon. The financial screening of the MoD-run companies and other budgetary organizations was also started, together with an inquiry into the potential abuses of authority, and a new public affairs strategy also began to take shape during the first month.

Launching the transformation processes in the systems of military medicine and officer training alongside a contribution to the establishment of a new university in the service of the public were in the focus of attention during the second month, Lajos Fodor said. Deregulation has given a lot to do and will give even more in the future, just like taking over the guard and security duties at the barracks and reintroducing them into the task scheme of the military.

Turning to the developments of the third month, the State Secretary talked about establishing the new structure of the MoD and the Defence Staff which has been accompanied by a change in attitude. The elimination of unnecessary duplications has started alongside the leadership changes in the MoD-run companies as well as the complete transformation of the steering and supervisory boards. In this month, a commissioner was appointed to the Zrínyi Miklós National Defence University and the total debt of the State Health Center was audited.

The State Secretary went on to describe the new MoD organizational structure, stressing that there have been substantial changes in the leadership. The survey of the volunteer reserve system and the preparations for revising the Act on the legal status of career and signed-on service personnel are also among the tasks ahead in this period. Lajos Fodor expressed criticism about the capability shortfalls of the Hungarian Defence Forces, the significant decline in some areas and the breakdown of healthy ratios. Finally the State Secretary talked about the current issues in defence planning and the strengthening of international relations.

In conclusion, Lajos Fodor pointed out that the capability losses in terms of personnel and military equipment currently prevent the Hungarian Defence Forces from performing their constitutional duties to full extent. Although all necessary steps have been taken without delay to remedy the situation, it will take years to regain those capabilities. The State Secretary reaffirmed the changes to the order of priorities and promised financially disciplined, “no frills", economical governance in the entire field of national defence.

After finishing his lecture, Administrative State Secretary Lajos Fodor held a Q&A session where he answered the students’ and the invited guests’ questions.

Text and photo: T. Z.