Speaking at the opening of the 23rd National Civil Guard Day and the 6th National Mounted Civil Guard parade, Sándor Pintér praised the civil guards for giving up their free time to oversee public safety in the country’s cities and towns and for their contributions to Hungary’s border protection efforts.

Pintér said that the 2017 and 2018 budgets allocate more than a combined 1 billion forints (EUR 3.2m) to the National Civil Guard Alliance.

Zsolt Nyitrai, prime ministerial commissioner for strategic social relations, thanked the civil guard officers for their work. At the event, 150 new members took oaths. The commissioner relayed a message from Prime Minister Viktor Orbán praising the work of the civil guard officers.

“Hungary is a strong and proud European country because it has citizens who will even give up their free time to better serve their country and their homes. You have proved on countless occasions that Hungarians, the police, the army and the government can count on civil guards,” the prime minister was quoted as saying.

The event was attended by over 5,000 people.

Republished with permission of Hungary Matters, MTI’s daily newsletter.