Defence Minister: Resources necessary for country’s defence secured
The resources necessary to defend the country have been secured, Defence Minister Kristof Szalay-Bobrovniczky said in a post on Facebook on Saturday.
The 2024 budget act, passed by lawmakers on Friday, earmarks 1,823 billion forints (EUR 4.7bn) for defence, the defence industry and defence innovation, Szalay-Bobrovniczky said.
That defence allocation, equivalent to 2 percent of GDP, in line with Hungary’s NATO pledge, is reason for pride at the upcoming NATO summit, he added.
As the war in Ukraine enters its 500th day, a military solution is not in sight, the defence minister said. Big European and NATO powers are convinced that the conflict can be resolved with a continuation and escalation of the war, but Hungary doesn’t share that view, he added.
“Hungary has been on the side of peace from the start. We want a ceasefire and immediate peace talks,” he said.
