Defense Minister Kristóf Szalay-Bobrovniczky has underlined how the world faces a new era of security and defense.
Speaking at the Berlin Security Conference / 21th Congress on European Security and Defense, also addressed by German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, Szalay-Bobrovniczky said threats appear in the form of war from the east and waves of illegal migration from the south. The strengthening of NATO is a common interest and Hungary’s position is that NATO is a defense alliance of independent states, and the alliance can only be built on strong national defense forces, he added. Hungary is carrying out one of the largest defense force developments in Hungarian history, involving the acquisition of new equipment and greater attention paid to personnel, to create a structurally modern and effective army, he added. Also, developments in the country’s defense industry are aimed at creating a defense ecosystem involving innovation and building links with the international defense industry network, he said. Hungary is a dedicated and reliable NATO ally, as proven by its participation in international operations, Szalay-Bobrovniczky said. Hungary’s participation in international missions is among the highest in NATO, he added. During his stay in Berlin, Szalay-Bobrovniczky held talks with counterpart Christine Lambrecht, Tobias Lindner, minister of state at the Federal Foreign Office, and several representatives of the Bundestag.