Hungarian Conservative

During the handover ceremony, Minister of Defence Kristóf Szalay-Bobrovniczky highlighted that the war in Ukraine has demonstrated the necessity for every country to have a well-functioning defence industry capable of supplying the nation at all times and in all situations.

The crusader army numbering tens of thousands that St John of Capistrano recruited played an important role in the successful defence of the Fortress of Nándorfehérvár and in the battle that ended the siege. John Hunyadi would have been defeated at the fortress walls if Capistrano had not attacked the Ottoman camp with his crusaders on 21 July.

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced on 18 July that the next EPC summit will be held in Hungary this year, and in Albania and Denmark next year.

‘The HAIKU states present a novel approach to exploring and understanding how statesmen and national leaders can navigate a dynamically changing global political landscape, marked by shifts in power balances, evolving alliances, and heightened strategic competition.’

According to the findings of the Project Europe research by Századvég, public attitudes towards combat readiness in Europe significantly differ regarding armed conflict within or beyond national borders. According to the survey, 59 per cent of EU respondents would fight for their country within their own borders, while 27 per cent would not be willing to do so.

The minister underscored that strengthening ties with the United Arab Emirates, a significant economic and military power in the Gulf region, can complement Hungary’s defence development programme, whether it involves defence-oriented research, innovation, or the manufacturing of military equipment.

NATO accession, defending the countries of Central Europe, success in academia and standing up for one’s heritage. These topics interest many these days, and Joanna Siekiera is an expert on them. In this interview she discusses the ‘blocking’ of Swedish NATO accession, the influence of smaller EU countries globally, academia and cybersecurity.

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.

According to press reports, an Israeli ELM-2084 multi-mission radar, also utilized as part of the renowned Israeli Iron Dome air defence system, has been sighted near a Hungarian settlement. The Hungarian Defence Forces have procured eleven of these modern systems.

Head of Rheinmetall Power Systems division Christoph Müller noted at the ceremony that Szeged will be the group’s first hybrid site, where the civil business and defence technology activities will operate under one roof. The initial step will be the construction of a 15,000 square metre plant on the 85,000 square metre area adjacent to the ELI ALPS laser research centre, providing jobs for three hundred highly skilled professionals.

Tamás Sulyok visited Poland on the Day of Polish⁠–⁠Hungarian Friendship, marking the extraordinary and long-standing relationship between the two Central European nations.

‘Strategic uncertainty is not a universal elixir, but merely one of the tools in a politician’s and a strategist’s toolbox. It is important to know when to use it, but it is perhaps even more important to know when not to. For strategic uncertainty to be an effective tool, serious kinetic action must sometimes be added to the bluffing and the show of force.’

The pontiff mentions his experience with Prime Minister Viktor Orbán of Hungary and the EU bureaucrats in his new autobiography titled Life: My Story Through History, opining that Brussels should ‘respect Hungary’s uniqueness’.

The 2K12 KUB weapon system has been in service in Hungary since the late 1970s; some of the equipment was jointly modernized by the Hungarian and Polish defence industries between 2001 and 2002.

The European Commission proposes starting accession negotiations with Bosnia and Herzegovina, President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen announced on Tuesday in Strasbourg. Issues being discussed at the European Parliament Plenary also include the humanitarian crisis in Gaza and European security, among others.

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.

President Novák emphasized that this is Vahagn Khachaturyan’s first official presidential visit to Hungary. She said their discussions covered various topics including peace in the world, Hungarian humanitarian assistance to Armenia, demographic challenges, the importance of bilateral relations, the situation of minorities, and Armenia’s European perspective.

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.

Szalay-Bobrovniczky emphasized the critical question of how many Hungarian youths choose to contribute in some form to ‘the extremely important cause of the homeland’s armed defence’.

Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani has called for the creation of a common European army. Since the outbreak of the war in Ukraine, the question of how Europe can defend itself against the threats it faces has become increasingly pressing.

Defence Minister Kristóf Szalay-Bobrovniczky announced in a video on his Facebook page that the Hungarian government is partnering with the German automotive and arms manufacturer Rheinmetall in a deal to develop ‘state-of-the-art, latest-generation’ tanks for the defence industry.

‘The fact of the matter is that this is the West’s stupidest war with Britain helping to lead the way: unnecessary, unaffordable, and unwinnable.’

While Turkish–Hungarian relations are based on mutual interests, Ankara regards Hungary as a strong ally, and a country that is linked to Turkey by a sense of kinship, according to Turkish Ambassador to Hungary Gülşen Karanis Ekşioğlu.

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.

During the nominee’s parliamentary committee hearing, Defence Minister Kristóf Szalay-Bobrovniczky stated that the leadership of the armed forces has been significantly and fundamentally renewed over the past one and a half to two years; practically the entire leadership of the HDF has changed, and all unit commanders are excellent young officers.

Péter Szijjártó emphasized that this visit marks the end of a long hiatus in the relationship, as there had been no diplomatic ties between the two countries for a decade. He pointed out that the decision to normalize relations was made last year, aiming to establish cooperation that benefits both nations.

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.

The gross average monthly earnings for full-time employees amounted to 555,900 forints, surpassing the previous year’s figures by 15.2 per cent.