Tibor Benkő, incoming minister of Defence, has said that he has a firm plan for the future of Hungary’s defence forces.
The current chief of staff told a joint session of Parliament’s Defence and National Security Committees that the army needed more modern and effective military equipment, which is the focus of the Zrinyi 2026 Programme’s military development initiative.
General Benkő said he accepted Prime Minister Viktor Orbán’s invitation to become minister of Defence because he feels the support of the government, the prime minister and his soldiers. He also agrees with the government’s ideas and intent, according to which a strong army is necessary to ensure the security of the Hungarian people.
He also mentioned the importance of reinforcing the European Union’s joint security and defence policy in which Hungary is taking part. He also highlighted Hungary’s participation in the cyber security information exchange platform.
Finally, General Benkő highlighted Hungary’s participation in the Visegrád Group (V4) cooperation, which he said has never been as strong as it is today.