Hungary is among the European Union’s most active members in security and defence policy, and maintains outstanding cooperation with Germany, Justice Minister Judit Varga said on Wednesday in Berlin where she attended one of the area’s most prestigious international conferences.

In an interview given to the public service media during a break of the Berlin Security Conference (BSC), Mrs Varga highlighted that Prime Minister Viktor Orbán said already in 2016 that Europe’s defence capabilities must be reinforced, and today this idea is more and more in the forefront.

The Minister also attended a panel discussion at the conference where she spoke about the role women play in creating peace and security. In this context, she stressed that Hungary had proved its active involvement in the process that sought to strengthen the situation of women, and the government was even preparing a separate action plan.

She pointed out that women suffer much more from armed conflicts than men, and through the Hungary Helps Programme Hungary provides assistance for people living in war zones which also makes the everyday lives of women easier.

Outlining the underlying concept of the Hungary Helps Programme, at the panel discussion she highlighted that rather than bringing problems to Europe, help and assistance must be taken to those in need. It is in the spirit of this concept that Hungary is taking part in the reconstruction of Bakhdida, Iraq’s largest Christian city which was destroyed by the terrorist organisation Islamic State.

In Berlin Mrs Varga also met with the editors of reputable German newspapers. In this context, she told the public service media that in German mainstream media “reports about Hungary tend to be critical” and with this critical approach it is difficult to notice that “a great many good things are happening”.

These include Hungarian-German security and defence policy cooperation and the ever more internationally recognised Hungary Helps Programme which now serves as a model in many places. They must continue to consistently popularise the latter, and must find a way so that foreign journalists should seek not only opportunities of criticism, but “should also realise how much Hungary is doing for Europe’s security outside Europe’s borders,” Mrs Varga said.

(MTI)