Hungarian military to be “decisive force” in region, says defence minister

Budapest (MTI) – The government aims to make the Hungarian military one of the “most decisive” armies in the region, the defence minister said on Tuesday.

Speaking at a meeting of senior military officers, István Simicskó said that the potential of the national economy ensured opportunities “unprecedented in the past 25 years” to develop the armed forces. He said his ministry had elaborated medium and long-term strategies to enable the army to give appropriate responses to “challenges of the present and the future”.

Under that programme, dubbed Zrínyi 2026, the government will change soldiers’ personal equipment in terms of clothing and weapons, as well as modernise the Air Force, the minister said.

Simicskó said that the military contributed some 15,000 soldiers to Hungary’s border control efforts. In 2016, the Hungarian armed forces participated in some 40 international exercises, while some 1,000 troops had served in international missions.

Concerning Hungary’s voluntary reserve force of 5,300, Simicskó said that the corps would be developed into a national network with units in each district of the country.

Simicskó said that the government greatly appreciated the work of soldiers and added that their salaries have been raised by 40 percent since 2015.

Photo: Károly Árvai / Cabinet Office of the Prime Minister

Source: MTI