Commander of the Hungarian Defense Forces Relieved

On the proposal of Defense Minister Kristóf Szalay-Bobrovniczky, the President of the Republic Katalin Novák relieved – with immediate effect this Thursday – Lieutenant General Romulusz Ruszin-Szendi, Commander of the Hungarian Defense Forces, from his post, the Ministry of Defense told MTI.

It was also informed that the Minister of Defense proposes Lieutenant General Gábor Böröndi, Head of the Military Representative Office of the Hungarian Defense Forces to NATO and the EU in Brussels, for the post.

Gábor Böröndi, a rifleman by training, has served in various command posts in the Hungarian Defense Forces and has participated in NATO operations in Europe and beyond.

The statement added that Lieutenant General Gábor Böröndi is the Hungarian general with the broadest command and military leadership background, the broadest theater experience in NATO, and the most experienced former Deputy Chief of Staff. He graduated from US and NATO Staff Colleges.

According to the Ministry of Defense, Lieutenant General Romulusz Ruszin-Szendi has made significant contributions to the acceleration and modernization of military training and has taken significant steps to increase the combat capabilities of the Hungarian Defense Forces. Lieutenant General Romulusz Ruszin-Szendi will continue to serve his country in other areas, they wrote. He was the Commander of the Hungarian Defense Forces for less than two years - no reason was given for his dismissal.

As the ministry points out, the new chief of general staff's priority task, in addition to the continuation of the organizational culture change initiated so far, is to continue the development of a modern, effective Hungarian Defense Forces capable of demonstrating serious deterrence.