He indicated that, in line with that goal, Hungary plans to spend 20% of the country’s defence budget on developing the army’s capabilities. Addressing the press conference, Rose Gottemoeller, NATO’s Deputy Secretary General, welcomed Hungary’s plan.

She called Hungary an important NATO ally serving in Afghanistan, Kosovo and Iraq, among other missions. At the press conference, she noted new dangers faced by NATO in cyberspace, which member states declared a new area of operation at their summit in Warsaw. Gottemoeller further noted NATO’s Cooperative Cyber Defence Centre of Excellence in Estonia set up to boost cyber defence.

Simicskó said cyber defence is a major issue for Hungary and plans are afoot to establish a designated centre within the country’s military national security services. Denis Mercier, Supreme Allied Transformation Commander, said NATO’s future and how the alliance positions itself to respond to future challenges had been a key topic of the two-day conference.

Mass migration to Europe provides a prime opportunity for terrorists to reach the EU, Simicskó said, adding that efforts to thwart them should be concentrated in the conflict zones themselves. NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg praised Hungary’s dedication to the organisation, highlighting its efforts to increase defence spending and its outstanding participation in missions, the defence ministry said.

Stoltenberg attended the closing day of the NATO seminar. He also held talks with Simicskó, who confirmed Hungary’s dedication to a strong NATO, which he said is the cornerstone of Hungarian security. He added that Hungary supports efforts by the US and NATO administrations to get members to increase their contributions to common security. Simicskó told Stoltenberg that Hungary’s defence budget is 18% higher this year than last year, the ministry said.

He briefed the alliance’s head about the planned further increase in the budget and the targets of developments. Commenting on Hungary’s participation in missions, Simicskó said Hungary is active in several parts of the world connected with crises caused by challenges from the south.

“We continue to take these tasks seriously and, for instance in Iraq, we are ready to increase our contribution,” the statement said.

At talks with NATO secretarygeneral Jens Stoltenberg on Thursday, Prime Minister Viktor Orbán called for the expansion of NATO to encompass the western Balkans, Orbán’s press chief said. Orbán and Stoltenberg discussed the need to strengthen NATO’s European arm and the European defence system, Bertalan Havasi said.

Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó and Simicskó attended the talks. Orbán said Hungary is dedicated to taking the necessary related steps, he added.

Orbán told Stoltenberg that the integration of the western Balkans into NATO and the European Union should be accelerated in order to guarantee the region’s security, Havasi said.

Republished with permission of Hungary Matters, MTI’s daily newsletter.

MTI photo: Koszticsák Szilárd