Slovak minister proposes conscription, fears territorial threat from Hungary

Slovakia’s Sports and Tourism Minister, Rudolf Huliak, has proposed the reintroduction of compulsory military service for 18-year-olds. Under the plan, all young adults would undergo at least three months of training, not in barracks, but at locations near their place of residence.

Current size of the Slovak Armed Forces

The Slovak Armed Forces (Ozbrojené sily Slovenskej republiky), the country’s official military body established in 1993, joined NATO in 2004. Today, the army comprises approximately 23,350 uniformed professional soldiers. Slovakia abolished conscription in 2006.

The military is primarily composed of ground and air forces, with the former made up of two mechanised infantry divisions, and the latter including fighter jets alongside assault and transport helicopters. Slovakia plans to take part in several international military exercises in 2025 and is also investing significantly in modernising its armed forces.

Dreams of greater Hungary

Huliak justified the need to bolster national defence by pointing to the ongoing war in neighbouring Ukraine, incidents of Russian drones flying into Polish airspace, and Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán’s comments regarding a ‘Greater Hungary’.

“There is a war raging beyond our borders, Russian drones are entering Poland, and a neighbouring country’s prime minister is fantasising about a larger Hungary. A state that cannot defend its borders has no right to exist,” Huliak stated at a press conference in Bratislava on 11 September.

This marks the first time a Slovak government member has publicly alluded to possible territorial claims by Viktor Orbán.

Debate over defence and the Swiss model

Huliak called for political, military and public discussions on the proposal. Acknowledging the potential financial burden amid fiscal consolidation efforts, he argued the measure is necessary. He envisions a citizen-based military modelled after Switzerland’s. It remains unclear whether the coalition government has yet debated the initiative. The Defence Ministry currently offers a voluntary training programme, which shares some characteristics with the proposed plan.

Air defence sparks political disputes

Recent events have intensified the debate, including Russian drones landing inside Poland: a scenario President Peter Pellegrini described as “extremely dangerous”. Slovakia, he remarked, is currently “naked and barefoot” in the face of such threats.

Defence Minister Robert Kaliňák blamed the previous government for handing over MiG-29 fighter jets and the S-300 air defence system to Ukraine. Former minister Jaroslav Naď countered by accusing the current leadership of failing to deploy the German-supplied MANTIS drone-defence systems.

Kaliňák rejected the claim, stating that the systems are indeed operational but cover only small areas and suffer from technical issues.

Historical context: From Trianon to Slovak-Hungarian friendship

References to ‘Greater Hungary’ remain a sensitive topic in Slovak public discourse. The Hungarian government has periodically utilised pre-Trianon maps. Orbán drew international criticism in 2022 after appearing at a football match wearing a scarf depicting such a map, according to Kárpáthír.

Nevertheless, the prime ministers of the two countries enjoy close relations, with Orbán referring to his Slovak counterpart as both a friend and a close ally on numerous occasions.

• Have you read this? Explaining the Treaty of Trianon to non-Hungarians

Curious timing: Szijjártó was in Slovakia during Huliak’s announcement

Szijjártó urges end to EU’s double standards on migration

Hungary will continue to protect itself and Europe from illegal immigration, but the harsh double standards it faces from Brussels must end, Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó said in Bratislava on Thursday.

According to the ministry, speaking after the C5 foreign ministers’ summit involving Austria, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Slovakia and Slovenia, Szijjártó stressed the region faces shared challenges—most critically, illegal migration.

“In 2015, Hungary built a fence along its southern border, which is also the EU’s external frontier. We’ve spent hundreds of billions of forints on defending it, stopping more than a million illegal migrants from entering Hungary, Central Europe and Europe as a whole,” he said.

Szijjártó emphasised that Hungary will continue to defend itself and the region. “However, I also pointed out to my colleagues that while the European Commission president praises Poland for building a fence and offers financial support, Hungary is being fined EUR 1 million per day for doing the same,” he added.

“This is a serious injustice—a blatant double standard. I asked for my colleagues’ support in resolving this in the spirit of Central European solidarity.”

Szijjártó has not yet commented on Huliak’s statements.

C5 summit

The European Union is mishandling the issue of illegal immigration, which remains a serious challenge, Slovak Foreign Minister and summit host Juraj Blanár stated during the C5 gathering of Central European foreign ministers held on Thursday.

Calling the discussion “very dynamic”, Blanár said illegal migration was the key topic. He criticised the EU’s past handling of the matter, calling for change, especially in light of the ongoing migration pact negotiations.

“Illegal migration, which heavily impacts member states’ domestic politics, must be addressed in a way that ensures Schengen becomes functional again,” he said.

On EU enlargement, Blanár stated that the process must progress—many countries have waited over 15 years for accession, which he described as burdensome and disillusioning due to perceived double standards. Regarding Ukraine, he stressed the need to continue the peace-building process begun in Alaska.

Commenting on the Middle East, he said the Israeli strike on Qatar was unacceptable and constituted a serious breach of international law. He added that in Gaza, compliance with international law is crucial, given the suffering of civilians.

Austria’s foreign minister, Beate Meinl-Reisinger, noted that, despite differences, the participating nations share common interests. On Ukraine, she emphasised the collective aim of establishing a lasting peace that ensures the safety of all citizens.

“This war must end as soon as possible—the price is becoming too high,” she said.

Czech Foreign Minister Jan Lipavsky said the countries’ positions on illegal migration are closely aligned. He called for stronger external EU border protection and said migration must be addressed outside EU territory.

Slovenian Foreign Minister Tanja Fajon stressed the need to accelerate EU enlargement for Western Balkan states and said Slovenia also seeks to benefit from the Schengen zone’s provisions.

Slovakia hosted the C5 summit for the second time. The format, initiated by Austria around five years ago, brings together five Central European nations.

• Also worth reading: Remarkable: 15th-century codex discovered in Upper Hungary

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