Prime Minister Viktor Orbán has said that Hungary’s defence is “not the task of NATO or the European Union but our task”.
During the inauguration of the new Chief of the General Staff of the Hungarian Defence Forces in Parliament on Wednesday, the prime minister said that a strong Hungary cannot exist without a strong military.
During the ceremony in Parliament, President János Áder inaugurated General Ferenc Korom as the new chief of staff. The outgoing chief of staff, Tibor Benkő will become minister of Defence.
“A nation that is incapable of defending itself does not deserve to be one,” the prime minister said.
He added that after successful efforts to change the constitution, enact policies on Hungarian communities abroad, the economy and family support, the priority for the upcoming government cycle will be to strengthen national security.
According to MTI, the prime minister said that the budget of the Hungarian Army will be more than doubled in the coming years.
Hungary witnessed armed conflicts erupting in neighboring countries in the 1990s, he said. Now, there are millions of migrants ready to enter the territory, he added.
PM Orbán asked Korom for a revamped, modern and powerful army fit to face contemporary challenges and committed to the homeland. It should be able to take up the challenge of the armed forces of any nation and be made attractive to young people who are key to forming a strong military, he added.