Defence Minister: Army to participate in guarding border once law amended

Budapest (MTI) – Currently the police is in charge of guarding Hungary’s borders but once legal regulations are amended, the army could join in, Defence Minister Csaba Hende said on Wednesday.

The constitution and the law on national defence regulate the use of the Hungarian army but the laws and regulations currently in force do not give a role to the army in respect of defending and guarding the border unless it needs to be defended in the case of military threat, Hende told a press conference held in another subject in Szombathely in western Hungary.

He said that in addition to utilising the army for defence tasks, it can also be used for other services, utilising its public health, sanitation and epidemiology capabilities.

He added that the army is currently not building a fence but setting up a security border closure. It will be completed by August 31 and then a “second element” involving a 3.5 metre tall structure is planned to be built during the autumn.

Photo: MTI

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