example not only for Hungarians, but equally for the whole of Europe, Deputy Minister Szilárd Németh, Parliamentary State Secretary of the Ministry of Defence, said on 22 July, on the Memorial Day of the victory of Nándorfehérvár at the Statue of Hunyadi in Buda Castle.

At the ceremony, the State Secretary said the Nándorfehérvár victory was the greatest military victory of the Hungarian-Ottoman wars, but perhaps even in the entire history of Hungary of more than a thousand years. In 1453, the Ottoman Empire that at one point held the whole of Europe in terror, led by Sultan II the Conqueror, occupied Constantinople, made it its capital under the name Istanbul, and then turned against Hungary with all its might. In 1456, Turkish troops besieged Nándorfehérvár, the key fortress of Hungary’s belt of defence. The Sultan was unable to conquer the defenders, and Hunyadi’s relief army defeated Mehmed in his own camp.

The victory of Nándorfehérvár – together with John of Capistrano – became one with the name of János Hunyadi, and the merits of the great military leader were also recognised by his contemporaries. Hunyadi truly believed in the importance of the fight fought for Christian Europe against the Ottoman Empire, and in that its outcome would have the utmost relevance to Hungary’s future. As so many times in history, also during the Siege of Nándorfehérvár, which lasted almost three weeks, Hungary defended not only itself, but also the whole of Europe and the Christian world: the unexpected and glorious victory stopped the Turks from further European incursions for seventy years.

Mr Németh stressed that while today battles are only being fought around negotiating tables, and threats, too, are emerging in different forms, in the 21st century Hungary is playing an important role in the protection of Europe’s borders. Just as 563 years ago, also today the situation is that most of Europe has not taken the threat seriously.

However, the Hungarians have recognised the threat. “Just as today, also then the duty of protecting Christian Europe fell upon Central Europe, and as we rose to this challenge at Nándorfehérvár, so will we today with the protection of our borders. We are convinced that, in order to regain Europe’s security, we must stop immigration, we must protect European Christian culture, and we must respect nations,” the State Secretary highlighted.

After the speech, wreaths were laid at the statue by, among others, Szilárd Németh, János Süli, Minister Without Portfolio for the Enlargement of the Paks Nuclear Power Station, Lieutenant General Gábor Böröndi, Deputy Commander of the Hungarian Defence Forces, and Colonel Dr Vilmos Kovács, Commander of the Military History Institute and Museum of the Hungarian Defence Forces.

(Ministry of Defence/MTI)