The Ministry of Defence (MoD) is gradually relocating certain organisational units of the ministry’s leadership to the former building of the Military History Institute and Museum on Kapisztrán Square in the Buda Castle.

In a press release, the MoD stated that an independent military is one of the most important symbols and guarantees of a country’s sovereignty. The 1848–49 Hungarian Army, considered the predecessor of today’s Hungarian Defence Forces, and the ministry that directed it, were both such symbols and the embodiment of independent statehood. The statement recalled that following the Austro-Hungarian Compromise of 1867, an independent defence ministry was established, with headquarters in the Buda Castle, an ‘iconic site’ in Hungarian history, culture, and state affairs. The relocation of the ministry offices to that area demonstrated the general appreciation of the Hungarian armed forces at the time, the statement added.

According to the press release, in recent decades, not only the Hungarian Defence Forces but also the structure of the MoD have been ‘stuck in a state’ that did not allow the creation of an environment suitable for the challenges and tasks of the present time, both structurally and physically. It was emphasised that the fifth Orbán government, through the ongoing defence and military reform, is devoting greater attention than ever to the development of an armed force capable of adequately protecting Hungary and its people, fulfilling at a high level the tasks arising from allied commitments.

In addition to being the Military High Command, the MoD also carries out civilian management, state leadership tasks related to defence, and tasks arising from Hungary belonging to alliance systems, receiving significant attention both in Hungary and on the international stage. To ensure the adequate and appropriate fulfilment of these tasks, the MoD is gradually relocating certain organisational units of the ministry’s leadership to the former building of the Military History Institute and Museum on Kapisztrán Square.

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, the statement concluded.

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