On Friday, while addressing the military attachés accredited to Budapest on the occasion of the New Year in the capital, Minister of Defence Dr. István Simicskó said that “soldiers serve peace and security around the world, and that’s why civilians must respect the members of the armed forces”.
Speaking at the ceremony held in Stefánia Palace, the Minister of Defence stated that last year the migration crisis had presented a great challenge because some 400,000 refugees crossed Hungary in a year to reach the middle of Europe. The Paris terrorist attacks posed a similarly serious challenge, which shows that soldiers have a place and role in the changing security environment.
After referring to the challenges, Dr. István Simicskó thanked the soldiers of the Hungarian Defence Forces, adding that they had done a lot of hard work in 2015. He noted that modernization cannot be postponed any further, because by now, due to a series of transformations, Hungary’s armed forces have been downsized in terms of manpower and capabilities.
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In addition to the members of the Budapest Military Attaché Board (BMAC), the New Year’s greeting ceremony was attended by the leaders of the Ministry of Defence and the Hungarian Defence Forces, high-ranking military officers and politicians.
(Ministry of Defence)
