Commander of HDF Joint Force Command Visits Sarajevo

Upon arriving in Camp Butmir which accommodates the service members of EUFOR Althea, the commander of the HDF JFC received reports from Brig.-Gen. József Szpisják, the Hungarian Chief of Staff of the international mission; from Col. Ferenc Könczöl, Chief of Staff, NATO HQ Sarajevo; and from Lt.-Col. István Megtért, Commander EUFOR-22 HUNCON which is currently deployed there. During his two-day visit, Maj.-Gen. Ferenc Korom spoke with outgoing COMEUFOR Maj.-Gen. Anton Waldner, and met the new commander of the mission, Maj.-Gen. Martin Dorfer.

Before the Change of Command Ceremony of EUFOR Althea, the Commander of the HDF JFC held a staff meeting to meet the Hungarian soldiers serving in Bosnia-Herzegovina. Following the event, in answer to our question, he told us that the Hungarian soldiers are familiar with the region. To highlight the importance of the tasks of those currently serving there and that of the EUFOR mission, he added that “if we think of how we are executing the high-priority operation »Joint Will« on the southern border of Hungary with MoI forces to ensure the closure of the migrant route on the Balkans, then we can see that the service of a multinational EU force here has a huge role. I think that the Hungarian soldiers serving here are also indirectly contributing to the domestic tasks of the Hungarian Defence Forces. This is why the EUFOR Althea mission is so important."

Maj.-Gen. Ferenc Korom said that they are continuously overseeing the activities of Hungarian contingent serving in Bosnia-Herzegovina. He added that the COMEUFOR also has a significant role in judging the Hungarian soldiers’ work. “Hungarian soldiers are among the best soldiers in the world. The COMEUFOR also reasserted this during our visit today. The Hungarian soldiers’ work is highly recognized", the Commander of the HDF JFC told us.

Outgoing COMEUFOR Maj.-Gen. Anton Waldner told us in an interview that the Hungarian Defence Forces contribute a large number of troops to the mission – as Hungarians make up almost one-third of the currently deployed forces – and the Hungarian soldiers’ professionalism is also outstanding. As he said, he could always count on them during his one-year period of command.

In answer to a question about the challenges of assuming the position of COMEUFOR one year ago, Maj.-Gen. Waldner said that the COMEUFOR’s position incorporates military and diplomatic tasks. The COMEUFOR’s duties include the command of the troops serving under him and maintaining contact with representatives of national partners in Bosnia-Herzegovina and international partners in the region. All of his decisions must be based on guaranteeing the security of the country besides the slow but continuous transfer of responsibilities to local authorities. One of the greatest challenges continues to be the 16 different law enforcement agencies operating in the country which are very loosely connected, if at all.

Besides several other tasks, the land mine clearing of Bosnia-Herzegovina is also a high-priority mission, of which the outgoing COMEUFOR told us that although physical mine clearance is the responsibility of national authorities (which the EUFOR is still monitoring and coordinating), the current pace of humanitarian demining projects a nearly 30-year period until the last mine is neutralized. To reduce this timeframe, according to plans, in 2020 the European Union will provide the country with a funding of up to EUR 20 million, which is expected to help achieve by 2025 the mine-free objective in Bosnia-Herzegovina. To illustrate the difficulty and seriousness of this task, Maj.-Gen. Anton Waldner told us that there are still an estimated 8000 tons of unexploded ordnance (and 50,000 weapons) from the Yugoslav war that must be destroyed.

At the Change of Command Ceremony, Maj.-Gen. Anton Waldner said thanks to all his colleagues and soldiers he had served together. On assuming his new position of COMEUFOR, his Austrian colleague, Maj.-Gen. Martin Dorfer expressed gratitude to his country for having accepted his application for the position and for the support during his service abroad. He pointed out that he will follow in the footsteps of his predecessor and the main objective of the mission continues to be to maintain the security of the country.

At the end of the ceremony, EUFOR Operation Commander Gen. Sir James Everard thanked Maj.-Gen. Anton Waldner for his service and welcomed Maj.-Gen. Martin Dorfer, adding that the new COMEUFOR has his full support and trust.