Steven N.
Ágnes Vadai, MP from the Democratic Coaliton (DK), and Péter Márki-Zay, the prime ministerial candidate for the united opposition (pictured), held a press conference in Hódmezővásárhely yesterday on the united opposition’s ideas and plans for defense and the military.
Márki-Zay said that it was particularly important which direction Hungary’s military is headed now, when an armed conflict between Ukraine and Russia may be imminent.
In such a case, we will need to make clear that Putin is the aggressor. Hungary stands for the territorial integrity of Ukraine.
-Márki-Zay stated, adding that “we find it endlessly outrageous that Viktor Orbán did not reject President Putin’s proposal outright that Hungary leave NATO.”
In contrast to this, the opposition envisions Hungary’s future in the European Union as well as in NATO, he said. If elected, he said that his government would restore the independence of the border guard, and that protecting against cyber attacks is becoming an increasingly important part of Hungary’s national defense.
Ágnes Vadai said that Hungary’s political opposition supports the idea of a common European army, but Europe’s state security services should also cooperate with one another in addition to their armed forces.
Vadai claimed that the army was left on its own between 2010-2018, and many times was barely provided enough money to survive. After 2018, however, money began to be lavished on the military, but in secret, and often not even MPs in the Fidesz-KDNP ruling coalition knew what exemptions from the procurement rules the government was asking for.
Figures released last fall show that 12 trillion Ft. (US $38.5 billion) was spent on military purchases, but it could now be as high as 18-20 trillion Ft. ($57.8-64.2 billion), Vadai said. The opposition supports modernization, but not secret purchases that do not serve the country’s interest. If the opposition wins the election, they will review all military procurements.
The DK politician also accused members of Orbán’s System of National Cooperation (NER) of getting a foothold in the Ministry of Defense. As a result, the current Minister of Defense is not even in charge of his own ministry anymore, and business interests now take care of procurements.
The opposition also rejects the militarized state, said Vadai. While the defense and care of the country is a common duty, Hungary’s opposition does not support unnecessary militarization that frightens citizens to the extent that the military works with questionable businesses from a national security point of view.
Ruling party Fidesz responded to the Hódmezővásárhely press conference by stating that the left’s real platform is to relinquish the security and defense of Hungary.
Under the left’s rule, it reduced the size of the army, and the first thing it would do now is recall police and soldiers from protecting the border.
-according to a statement by the governing party, adding comments about former Prime Minister Ferenc Gyurcsány, tearing down the border fence, mandating a migrant quota, Brussels, the George Soros network, illegal migration, and Hungary becoming a country of immigration.
[Telex][Photo: Demokratikus Koalíció / Facebook]
