Soldiers arrive in a small Hungarian village – mayor outraged by military presence

Soldiers have appeared at a natural gas storage facility near the village of Algyő in Csongrád-Csanád County, sparking a sharp dispute between the local mayor and the Hungarian government.

Áron Molnár, who has served as Algyő’s mayor since 2017, says the move is unnecessary scaremongering. The government, however, argues that the military presence is meant to protect critical energy infrastructure.

The mayor told the Hungarian weekly Magyar Hang that he had not been informed in advance about the arrival of soldiers in the village.

According to him, neither the armed forces nor the relevant ministry contacted him beforehand, even though the facility is located within the municipality’s administrative area.

Molnár said he found the situation particularly surprising, noting that local leaders are usually notified ahead of such measures. He added that he only received an email about the military presence nearly a week after the soldiers had already arrived, when the situation had already become common knowledge in the village.

“The government is frightening its own citizens”

In the interview, the mayor strongly criticised the government’s communication.

“I consider this kind of scaremongering to be outright treason. The government is now openly frightening its own citizens,” Molnár said.

According to him, the military presence serves primarily political purposes and resembles election-period messaging rather than a genuine security measure. The mayor urged residents of Algyő to interpret the situation accordingly.

Molnár also described how an elderly woman reportedly burst into tears in a local shop because she feared war might be approaching. He said the incident illustrates how the government’s messaging can create uncertainty among residents.

Soldiers as “decorative props”

The mayor also commented on the situation of the soldiers themselves.

“I feel very sorry for the soldiers, who are sent here under orders to play the fool, even though they would stand no chance if these facilities were truly under serious threat,” Molnár said. He added that the soldiers were placed in a humiliating position by being used as what he called “decorative props” next to the facility.