‘The Hungarian Defence Forces Excel In Their Tasks’

Prime Minister Gordon Bajnai was greeted with military honours in ‘Maléter Pál’ Barracks, the garrison of HDF Support Brigade in Zách Street on Tuesday. Major Ferenc Kiss, the commander of the battalion of honour reported to Prime Minister Bajnai, who visited a barracks for the first time as the head of government. Following that the Prime Minister, the Defence Minister and the Chief of the Defence Staff walked past the formation – as specified by the formal regulations.

Prime Minister Bajnai visited ’Maléter Pál’ Barracks because almost immediately after his appointment, he had called a leadership meeting with the participation of the senior officials of the Ministry of Defence and the Hungarian Defence Forces, and the commanders of the corps and military organizations. In this leadership meeting MoD Chief of Defence Staff General László Tömböl updated Prime Minister Gordon Bajnai on the situation of the Hungarian Defence Forces, and the Prime Minister countersigned the defence plan of the Republic of Hungary.

After the briefing Minister of Defence Dr. Imre Szekeres held a presentation about the state of the Hungarian Defence Forces. He emphasized: three years ago, when they had started the joint work, they had identified three tasks. The first one was that the reform of the Hungarian Defence Forces had to be completed, stability and predictability had to be created, the second one was that on the basis of this stability, technical modernization and the improvement and renewal of capabilities had to be continued. The third task was to achieve that in Hungary, being a serviceman should be a more predictable and appreciated profession.

– After three years, having completed the military reform, we have created stability and started the modernization process – said Defence Minister Szekeres, adding: in the coming year the work will be continued on these foundations. He underlined: all legal provisions are available that regulate the activity of the Hungarian Defence Forces in peacetime. These laws had been initiated by the Ministry of Defence and adopted by all five parties, in the majority of the cases as a result of unanimous voting in the National Assembly. Reflecting that national defence is a national issue in Hungary and the parties in Parliament fully support the activity of the Hungarian Defence Forces – noted the head of the portfolio.

Speaking about the modernisation of the organization the Defence Minister told Prime Minister Bajnai that with this change, the transformation of the military, that has taken 18 years, has been completed. As a result of this, both the Hungarian Defence Forces and the Ministry of Defence have changed. Due to this process the internal ratios within the organization have been modified: after the change, the personnel implementing military tasks are in the majority now. Among the changes Minister Szekeres emphasized the establishment of the Joint Forces Command, ensuring the cooperation of branches and services in the Hungarian Defence Forces and considered one of the most up-to-date leadership and control systems within NATO.

Imre Szekeres also emphasized that the necessary number of personnel are available for the Hungarian Defence Forces, however, in the coming one–one and a half years they want to employ 3,000 new contracted and professional soldiers. With this step, the military would like to contribute to retaining the employment opportunities during the times of economic crisis.

The head of the defence portfolio underlined: the budgetary conditions are available, the Hungarian Defence Forces have a disciplined management. These financial frameworks provide for the creation of new capabilities and one of the key factors behind this is that in the past years the Ministry of Defence spent 20 percent of the budget on development. This is one of the highest ratios in NATO member states. From the list of developments Minister Szekeres mentioned the deployment of Gripen aircraft at the end of last year, and the establishment of the heavy airlift wing in Pápa. He added: along with these steps, the armament, the IT and signalling equipments are also being modernized.

The Defence Minister informed Prime Minister Bajnai that the Hungarian Defence Forces fulfil their national and international duties at a high standard. Most of the 1,000 Hungarian troops serving abroad in 13 countries on 3 continents are stationed in the Balkans, for the stability of this region is one of the key elements of the stability of our country.

In his address Minister Szekeres also mentioned that in the military special attention is paid to training. He added: the corps of the Hungarian Defence Forces have all the necessary financial and technical means at their disposal.

Concerning the tasks in 2009, the minister emphasized that the tasks defined by the annual tasking meeting are feasible and the necessary budgetary resources are available, ensuring their implementation with an economic management. But with regard to economization, a few measures had to be adopted in the beginning of the year, which has led to deleting every event which is not an absolute necessity from this year’s tasks. The funds made available this way can be spent on the training and equipment of the troops. The minister also told the attendees that the emptied military properties were handed over to the Hungarian State Holding Company and in the current and the coming years, they would like to use 80 percent of the income generated from the sales for development-related tasks.

– The adoption of the National Military Strategy by the Hungarian government was highly appreciated in both the European Union and NATO. As well as the government’s commitment to raise budgetary support from 1.1 percent of the GDP to 1.3 percent between 2009 and 2013 – said Imre Szekeres, adding: to the duties of the Hungarian Defence Forces improving the living condition of the troops will also be added. In order to achieve this, they work together with the unions operating within the Hungarian Defence Forces.

Prime Minister Gordon Bajnai emphasized in his address to the meeting: similarly to many other countries, Hungary today faces a crisis the world has not experienced for more than eighty years. In overcoming this crisis the self-confidence of the country is a key feature. But the degree to which a given nation can trust the proper state of its own defence capabilities also contributes to this self-confidence to a major extent.

– It is reassuring that even though the economic crisis does not have any military implications for Hungary, the country could rely on its armed forces and their defence capabilities – said the Prime Minister, adding: for him it is also reassuring that while today there are fierce debates going on about a number of things in Hungary, there is a national consensus regarding the activity of the Hungarian Defence Forces. This consensus also makes it possible for the country to focus on crisis symptoms threatening our country from economic and social aspects.

– The basis of the external security of a country is national defence. We hardly talk about it because fortunately, today the country does not have to be concerned about an external threat. But in a world which has to face difficulties that have not been experienced for a long period, security will play a more important role. Therefore it is good to know that the Hungarian Defence Forces excel in their tasks – said the Prime Minister.

Gordon Bajnai emphasized: in recent years, the Hungarian Defence Forces were able to do what other systems could not really implement, that is they could modernize and reform themselves, making them more efficient and rational. The military have demonstrated that changes entailing sacrifices in the short term will result in a more understandable and rational service that provides better quality for all. In this regard, the Hungarian Defence Forces have set an example in Hungary in recent years.

The premier underlined: the security of our country is stable and it is guaranteed by the armed forces as well as our allied system. Our alliances are for a long term and Hungary undertakes very massive missions beyond its borders as well.

Hungary takes part in the activities of NATO as a recognized member of the Alliance – Gordon Bajnai emphasized, also noting that our commitment abroad is relevant not only from a military aspect. The activities of the Hungarian Defence Forces beyond our borders are decisive as regards the foreign policy of Hungary. – Among the country’s successes in foreign policy the role the Hungarian troops have undertaken all over the world, moreover, the performance that earns recognition everywhere, can be mentioned and these achievements also have an impact on the development of the Hungarian Defence Forces. A good example of this is the NATO airlift base in Pápa, which is the success of not only the defence policy of Hungary but that of its foreign policy as well – the Prime Minister pointed out.

– As the prime minister, I will consider the content of the National Military Strategy recently adopted by the government my duty. I am committed to support the implementation of this strategy personally – said the premier, adding: today Hungary is in a financial situation which requires sacrifices from all. – Everyone will have to exercise self-restraint and give up certain things, otherwise Hungary will not be able to recover from the current situation. But this crisis has to be solved in such a way that leaves the defence capability of Hungary unharmed – Gordon Bajnai emphasized, adding that he welcomes the idea that the Hungarian Defence Forces want to contribute to the management of the crisis with the creation of 3,000 new jobs.

– Those who are serving in the Hungarian Defence Forces today can be certain that they are working in an organization which operates on the basis of well-organized and solid management principles and offers a stable living for its personnel, raises its own level of recognition by society year after year. I can tell you for certain that the recognition of the military has strengthened in Hungary in the past years. In other words: Hungary is proud of its troops, proud of the Hungarian Defence Forces, and can be proud of the processes – that are not spectacular in many cases – by which the armed forces modernize themselves and meet the requirements of the modern world – Prime Minister Gordon Bajnai closed his speech.