Parliamentary State Secretary Dr István Simicskó held discussions on the possibilities of cooperation between the Hungarian and the Slovakian Armies in Bratislava.

He was received by Minister of Defence of the Slovak Republic, Lubomir Galko and State Secretary of the Slovak MoD, Róbert Ondrejcsák. Mr Galko and Mr Simicskó emphasized that both Bratislava and Budapest were keen to develop good-neighbourly relations.
The Hungarian party expressed his interest in cooperation in Mi-17 helicopter pilot training. The plan is for the Hungarian pilots to be trained at the special training centre of Slovakian Air Force in Eperjes, while the Slovakian pilots would use the Hungarian Air Force base in Szolnok, in exchange. Mr Simicskó confirmed that Budapest was open to cooperation between the Hungarian and the Slovakian Explosives Ordinance Disposal specialists.
Hungary is scheduled to send a liaisons officer to NATO’s Explosives Ordinance Disposal Centre, Trencin next year. Furthermore, the parties agreed to exchange views on the experience gained in natural and industrial disaster relief.
’’The example of the red sludge disaster in Ajka also demonstrated that the Army’s role is irreplaceable ’’- the Hungarian Parliamentary State Secretary remarked.
During the Hungarian Parliamentary State Secretary’s visit a cooperation agreement on military training was signed. ’’The military universities of both countries are interested in a student exchange program’’- the Slovak Defence Ministry’s spokesman said.
Translated by Dóra Darnyik