Speaking on the InfoRádió programme “Aréna” on Monday evening, Minister of Defence István Simicskó emphasised that “The Hungarian Defence Forces also have a mission to show their strength”. In his opinion, showcasing the capacity of the state to take action serves as a deterrent to terrorists.

Mr. Simicskó pointed out that the existence of the Hungarian Defence Forces must be demonstrated through the presence of soldiers assisting the police in reinforcing security. He added that recently the sight of military policemen patrolling public areas has significantly increased Hungarians’ sense of security.

According to the Minister of Defence, the process of illegal migration experienced recently has brought with it the threat of an unexpected attack.

He said that the some 1.5 million illegal migrants who have arrived in Europe are viewed as an advance guard. He added that for the time being Romania seems to be able to protect the Romanian-Serbian border, but if the need arises the Hungarian Defence Forces are ready to build a fence along the Romanian border too, and have the necessary equipment and manpower to execute this task.

The Minister of Defence stated that “the most important thing is to guarantee the security of the Hungarian people”. At the same time Mr. Simicskó pointed out that “security comes at a price”.

“If the country is in danger, it is clear that some freedoms could be restricted in the interest of guaranteeing security”, he said, noting that a number of significant “system-based” measures were taken in the United States following the 9/11 terrorist attacks. Mentioning another example, he referred to terrorists using the internet to contact each other and communicating via game software during the attacks in France last year.

At the same time, the Minister of Defence emphasised that Hungary is a democracy under the rule of law, and the Bill to amend the Constitution with regard to a state of emergency in the event of terrorist threats includes a list of possible measures to be taken, while also respecting the principle of “necessity and proportionality”.

In answer to a question, Mr. Simicskó underlined that the reintroduction of compulsory military service is only possible in the event of war or a state of preventive defence.

He said that “the goal is to expand the volunteer reservist system”. To achieve this goal, the Ministry has already contacted several sports associations, because it intends to reach out to young people. He noted that due to the migration situation, thousands of young people have applied to serve as volunteer reservists.

(Ministry of Defence/MTI)