“No country can be strong without a respectable army,” Prime Minister Orbán stated following his meeting with NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen.

He emphasised that the question of what economic state the Member States in and how much money can they spend on military development is an important question for NATO regarding its future. The Prime Minister agreed with the Secretary General that even though there is a crisis, neither the security level achieved earlier, nor the agreements stating that security capabilities will be preserved at a high level should be conceded. He pointed out to NATO Chief Rasmussen that it is not only because of Hungary’s international obligations, but “also because of the country’s national interests that defence forces must be developed”. The army must also be viewed as a value in addition to its military cooperation within NATO. Talking about NATO’s mission in Afghanistan, the Hungarian Prime Minister underlined that Hungary entered the country together and will also leave together with NATO.

Secretary General Rasmussen welcomed the fact that that Hungary has stopped decreasing its defence budget and encouraged the country to invest in modern technologies and solutions. He called Hungary’s strong commitment to NATO impressive and stated that the C-17 NATO base in Pápa is a perfect example of smart cooperation and smart defence. He also acknowledged the professional and dedicated service of Hungarian troops in Afghanistan and Kosovo.

The Secretary General was on a one-day visit in Hungary, where he also attended the foundation stone ceremony of the new Heavy Airlift Wing hangar in Pápa.

(Prime Minister's Office)