Major General László Sticz, the new commander of the EU’s EUFOR ALTHEA mission in Bosnia and Herzegovina, told public broadcaster M1 on Wednesday that Hungarian soldiers have proved their skills in the command of NATO missions.
Major General Sticz, who took over the post on January 1, said NATO’s KFOR mission had a Hungarian commander in 2021. “Now a Hungarian general has been appointed to serve for the first time as commander of the EU mission in Bosnia-Herzegovina for a whole year,” he said. Sticz said Hungarian troops would not only participate but also coordinate large-scale operations. “There will also be an opportunity to deploy new military vehicles such as the new helicopters which will illustrate the progress made under the Hungarian armed forces’ modernisation since 2018,” he said. Speaking on public Kossuth Rádió, Sticz noted that based on the 2021 KFOR experience, the assignment of ALTHEA’s Hungarian command had been supported by the EU on a political and military level and approved by the United Nations last year. “This is important also because peace in the Balkans is our peace, too,” the general said. He noted Hungarian troops’ capability in aerial transport and evacuation which could be performed if need be to help local civilian residents. The general also noted the troops’ explosive expertise that can be used in clearing landmines.