Hungarian Conservative

The Hungarian Ministry of Defence announced that due to Hungary’s increased involvement in foreign missions and the altered security environment, the Hungarian government has decided to procure an additional four JAS-39Cs to complement the current fleet of 14 Gripens.

A recent survey revealed that three-quarters of Hungarians (76 per cent) support the purchase of modern military technologies and the pay hike for soldiers, while two-thirds (69 per cent) are in favour of increasing the size of the defence forces.

Defence Minister Kristóf Szalay-Bobrovniczky stated the Hungarian government’s position remains clear: migration must be curbed and the problem must be dealt with locally. Migration and terrorism go hand in hand, which is why Hungary will continue to contribute to NATO’s collective defence tasks and joint action against terrorism as a valued member of the alliance.

The Florida-based conservative commentator reminded all that Hamas has always had a tendency to use their own people as human shields with ‘their leaders in Doha, Qatar, living a lavish life right now’.

In an interview with Hungarian political daily Magyar Nemzet, Chief of the General Staff Gábor Böröndi highlighted the new capabilities Hungary is contributing to NATO’s collective defence, and the extent to which the experience of the Russo-Ukrainian war has changed procurement plans and objectives.

‘The time has come when the Hungarian Defence Forces are once again embracing this intellectual legacy, taking charge of preserving the Hussar tradition, allowing the Hungarian Hussar to finally find his way back to where the heroes’ memory is honoured with respect and appreciation,’ the Hungarian defence minister said at the biannual Hussar Gathering in Nyíregyháza.

After days of relentless rain, leading to severe flooding and landslides caused by the downpour, emergency services were mobilised in multiple regions of Austria and Slovenia. Hungarian military aid is on its way.

The Hungarian Defence Forces demand unwavering loyalty, exemplary behaviour worthy of their vocation, courageous commitment, high readiness, and discipline from the soldiers who perform active service, a statement from the Ministry of Defence wrote about the war-time increasement of training routines for active-duty soldiers.

The Hungarian military was commemorating the National Defence Day with a whole slew of fun activities for families which included climbing inside and on top of tanks, an obstacle course, and meeting with the Olympic medalist athletes of the Sports Battalion.

In February 2023, the Defence Innovation Research Institute (VIKI) was established, with the aim of identifying and supporting the development of dual-use technologies, that is technologies that can be used for both civilian and military purposes. The institution is led by Brigadier General Imre Porkoláb, Ministerial Commissioner for Defence Innovation.

According to the website Italian Defence Technologies, the helicopters proposed to the Hungarian military are the newly developed Leonardo AW-249-NEES attack helicopters.

Joanna Siekiera, Arvid Hallén, and Tamás Csiki Varga discussed how the European Union can and should be shaping its common defence policy in the wake of the emerging Russian threat, as well as what role NATO plays in European defence policy.

‘Today, our generation has the opportunity to build our own army, the force that guarantees the armed defence of the nation. This is our task, and in that we are no different from the revolutionaries of 1848,’ Minister Szalay-Bobrovniczky said at the Defence Ministry’s commemoration of the 1848 Hungarian revolution.

At the opening of the competition final Zsolt Kutnyánszky, State Secretary for Defence Policy, Military Development, and Defence Industry at the Ministry of Defence emphasized that Hungary needs ‘young people who love their country and are willing to make sacrifices for it’ .

Minister of Defence Kristóf Szalay-Bobrovniczky of Hungary participated in the commemorative run celebrating the anniversary of the foundation of the International Military Sports Council (CISM).

Serbia’s Minister of Defence and Deputy Prime Minister, Miloš Vučević, expressed gratitude for Hungary’s consistent support for Serbia’s path to European Union membership. He emphasized the strategic partnership and an exceptional relationship, almost surpassing mere friendship, between the two countries.

The establishment of a common European defence ministry would not immediately resolve all problems. As no concrete details are currently available about the idea, significant conclusions cannot be drawn. What is certain, however, is that joint procurement, coordinated development and production could significantly enhance the competitiveness and capacity of the European defence industry, and a robust defence industry stands as the most crucial pillar of the continent’s security.

Turkey is an extremely important regional player in terms of security policy, and its voice is indispensable in international conflicts that risk the security of all of us, the Hungarian defence minister said after meeting his Turkish counterpart in Budapest.

Speaking at a conference on defence industry supplier development held at the Bálna Defence Centre, Kristóf Szalay-Bobrovniczky pointed out that in pursuit of advancing the defence industry, strategic agreements have been concluded with several major international players, including German, Norwegian, French and Turkish companies.

At the handover ceremony, Minister of Defence Kristóf Szalay-Bobrovniczky highlighted that the greatest strength of the system, also used in 12 other countries, is its ability to establish a network based on control stations. It operates with excellent US-made AMRAAM missiles widely used in NATO member states and also installed on HDF Gripen fighter aircraft.

Speaking in the National Assemblyabout the possibility of a military mission being launched, Hungarian Minister of Defence Kristóf Szalay-Bobrovniczky explained that such a mission would only take place at the invitation of the Chadian president, and within this framework, a maximum of 200 soldiers would serve from the spring of 2024.

Speaking at Brain Bar 2023, Hungarian Defence Minister Szalay-Bobrovniczky argued that as long as there is an open armed conflict in Ukraine, the chances of an escalation of the war are extremely high.

Besides supporting EU’s EDIRPA and ASAP initiatives, Hungary has also been participating in joint capacity building and procurement programmes with France and Germany.

In a statement issued today, the Fidesz EP group has announced its support for the new common procurement act (EDIRPA) proposed in the European Parliament. The act would allocate €300 million in funds to ‘incentivise the joint procurement of urgent and critical defence products needed in the context of the response to Russia’s war on Ukraine.’

Although Hungary had already cooperated with the alliance during the Yugoslav wars, 9/11 was the first major event when the country had to demonstrate its commitment to the alliance and collective defence as a full-fledged member of NATO.

‘Big companies are coming to Hungary with R&D budgets that are significant in themselves. Rheinmetall, for one, is the twenty-fourth largest company in the world’, Hungarian Ministerial Commissioner Imre Porkoláb underlined in a recent interview.

The third day of Tusványos remained as eventful as the previous one, with many prominent Hungarian government officials taking the opportunity to share their thoughts on stage. What follows is a brief recap of the most important points they made.

Hungary believes that the problems should be solved not at Europe’s borders but at their places of origin, Kristóf Szalay-Bobrovniczky said. He emphasised that under the changed circumstances, the development of the Hungarian armed forces is progressing dynamically, confidently, and systematically.

The collection of the Military History Institute and Museum will be housed partly in the modern exhibition space of the Bálna centre in Budapest, and partly in Székesfehérvár, ‘one of the most significant centres of Hungarian history.’ The Military History Archives will continue to operate unchanged in its original location.

During his recent talks in Tbilisi, the Hungarian Defence Minister stressed that Hungary strongly supports Georgia’s Euro-Atlantic aspirations, and highlighted the importance of Hungarian-Georgian military cooperation.