To ensure the country’s security, the government has embarked on Hungary’s biggest ever military development scheme, Tibor Benkő said.

The government is making a conscious effort to boost Hungary’s defence capabilities, “as there is no security or economic growth without reliable defence”, the minister said, adding that the development scheme is being given the necessary funding.

The issue of defence has been placed on new foundations, allowing Hungary to rebuild its military, Benkő said.

This was necessary because Hungary over the past decades had been witnessing a “conscious watering down of the Armed Forces” due to a lack of political will or economic stability, the minister said.

This is something the country cannot afford in a time of cyber security and terror threats and mass migration, he added.

Hungary is now building a strong and competent military that is committed to defending the homeland and is always ready to serve the security interests of the people, he said.

When it comes to the military, Hungary values both its contracted soldiers and its voluntary reservists, Benkő said.

The government considers it crucial to recruit young people to the military and is also creating the conditions for taking proper care of its veterans, he added.

The modernisation of Hungary’s military industry doesn’t just serve to improve the country’s defence capabilities, but it also creates jobs and contributes to growth, the minister said.

MTI Photo: Balázs Mohai