President honours former NATO Parlt Assembly president Lamers

Budapest (MTI) – President Janos Ader presented a high state award to Karl A. Lamers, the former president of NATO’s Parliamentary Assembly, in his Sandor Palace Office in Budapest on Friday.

Lamers was presented the Hungarian Republic’s Order of Merit, Commander Cross (civilian), in recognition of his merits in promoting Hungarian-German ties and Hungary’s NATO membership.

Lamers has always stood up for Hungary, “he always defended the country when it faced unjust attacks,” E. Szilveszter Vizi, the president of the Hungarian Atlantic Council, said at the ceremony.

The German politician said he had always been a dedicated supporter of Hungary’s NATO membership, of a country that occupies “a special place” in the transatlantic community.

The ceremony was attended by Parliamentary Speaker Laszlo Kover and former Hungarian Foreign Minister Janos Martonyi.

Lamers, member of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU), was president of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly from 2010 to 2012.

He is in Budapest to attend the Assembly’s May 16-18 session.

Photo: MTI

Source: http://mtva.hu/hu/hungary-matters