The soldiers of the Hungarian Armed Forces serving in Kosovo will also help to keep Christmas safe in the Western Balkans and in Hungary, the Minister of Defense emphasized during his visit to Pristina on Monday.
Tibor Benkő emphasized that carrying out a peace mission is always a challenging task, which sometimes involves risks and trials. He mentioned as an example that during this period, as Christmas approached, it was also hard for soldiers to be away from their loved ones.
The Minister, as well as Romulus Ruszin-Szendi, Commander of the Hungarian Armed Forces, and József Bencze, Hungarian Ambassador to Kosovo, visited Hungarian soldiers in two camps. In both places, they addressed the soldiers at a staff meeting and also presented them with gifts.
The mayor of Debrecen, László Papp, donated a team flag ribbon to the Hungarian contingent.
The Minister spoke at the staff meetings: during this period, in preparation for Christmas, special thanks should be given to their sacrificial work to serve not only Hungary and the Hungarian people, but also the security of other countries and citizens. “Hungary can be proud of its soldiers,” he said.
He emphasized that maintaining peace and security in the Western Balkans is of paramount importance for Hungary. He asked the soldiers serving in the NATO mission in Kosovo to continue to do their job responsibly and to be proud of the mission they were taking part in.
Tibor Benkő emphasized that the Ministry of Defense and the Hungarian Armed Forces pay attention to the soldiers and work to ensure that their work is sufficiently recognized. This is indicated, among other things, by the fact that the salaries of soldiers will increase by another 10 percent from January 1.
The Minister thanked the soldiers for their exemplary work in defending against the coronavirus, and for protecting themselves, their loved ones and their communities by taking the vaccine. In connection with this, Tibor Benkő also said that the vaccination rate of the Ministry of Defense and the Hungarian Armed Forces together is 96%.
Speaking to the press, the minister drew attention to the fact that peace in the Balkans is still fragile today, citing as an example the events between Kosovo and Serbia in September when a change of license plate caused tensions.
In addition, the situation in the Western Balkans is also important for illegal migration
– he remarked.
He said, as a soldier himself, he had experienced what it was like to be away from the family for weeks or months. In order for the soldiers to be ready for war, their mental state must also be taken care of, the minister emphasized, which is why it is important for them to visit Christmas this day and to help them with gifts containing domestic flavors.
Tibor Benkő also thanked and acknowledged the soldiers serving in Kosovo and other parts of the world. At the same time, given the pandemic situation, he wished everyone health, a blessed Christmas and a new year “rich in military success”.
Romulusz Ruszin-Szendi, the commander of the Hungarian Armed Forces, recalled at the staff assemblies that Hungarian soldiers had been serving abroad for decades. However, the current mission in Kosovo is extremely important because, for the first time, a Hungarian commander, Ferenc Kajári, is leading the KFOR headquarters.
At the same time, it provides an opportunity for the alliance, the locals and the whole world to see the Hungarian Armed Forces, the commander said, asking for the help of the soldiers to make Hungary a decisive, powerful force in the region, as its “bases” are the Hungarian soldiers.
László Papp, the mayor of Debrecen, recalled that he also took part in the launch ceremony in July when the soldiers of the István Bocskai Rifle Brigade in Debrecen were to say goodbye to Kosovo.
He said that based on the briefings he had just heard in Kosovo, the city of Debrecen could be proud of its soldiers.
The politician expressed his pleasure at the fact that nowadays there is a government policy in Hungary that prioritizes both the esteem of soldiers and the development of the armed forces. “Hungary will not forget its soldiers,” he said.
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