The Cooperative Security 2019 international migration crisis handling exercises at the Újmajor training area near Veszprém came to a successful close on Thursday 17 October. During the exercises, military personnel from the participating countries practiced the prevention and handling of a possible mass migration emergency.

According to the premise of the exercises, a large number of illegal immigrants arrived in the vicinity of Hungary’s southern border beginning in the summer of 2019, with relation to which Hungary asked for and received assistance from the countries of the Central European Defence Cooperation (CEDC).

The press day of the exercises on 17 October was viewed by the defence ministers and state secretaries of the participating countries, and by Minister of Defence Tibor Benkő, Commander in Chief of the Hungarian Defence Forces Lieutenant-General Ferenc Korom, and his deputy, Lieutenant-General Dr. Gábor Böröndi.

“Illegal migration can be prevented, and peace and security can be preserved, through Central European cooperation”, the Defence Minister declared, stressing: “In a rapidly changing security environment, the countries of Central Europe have proven that they think in a similar manner and are capable of preserving the culture and values created by our forefathers”.

Mr. Benkő expressed his thanks to those involved in the preparation and realisation of the event. As he pointed out, Hungary began the closure of its green border four and a half years ago. “In just a few months we constructed 175 kilometres of the physical border barrier with which we succeeded in stopping the arrival of illegal immigrants to Hungary in large numbers”, the Minister said, adding: “This was thanks to the cooperation of the Visegrád Group (V4) countries and Austria”.

“The position of the Hungarian government today continues to be that issues and problems must be handled where they arise. We are sending our soldiers on peacekeeping missions to conform to this principle”, the Minister highlighted.

Head of the Ministry of Defence’s Defence Administration Department and organiser of the Cooperative Security 2019 exercises Colonel Dr. Attila Ferenc Varga said the exercises may definitely be viewed as a success. “We have difficult and complicated days behind us in view of the fact that we began the exercise three days ago with a command post section during which we practiced various situations in a classroom environment with the assistance of computers”, the Colonel detailed, adding: “Today was all about practical implementation”.

(MTI)