War between Ukraine and RussiaFile Over a hundred top executives have been forced into early retirement. A surprise decision that raises fears of a political purge orchestrated by a government distancing itself from its NATO allies.
Their exact number is not yet known with certainty, but the order of magnitude is sufficiently meaningful. More than a hundred senior Hungarian officers, including colonels and even generals, were placed on early retirement by order of the Defense Ministry. A new decree has just authorized Budapest to end the contract of officers older than 45 who have accumulated at least 25 years of service.
According to a survey by the independent medium Telex, between 100 and 200 have already been urged to leave and their number is expected to increase further in the coming weeks. Officially, this great purge is motivated by a desire to rejuvenate the army and improve the ranks of the young. The statement is perceived as a bit short by several opposition figures who have sounded the alarm.
“De-NATO”
In fact, this decision is all the more surprising given that it comes in the context of strengthening the Hungarian army, which Viktor Orbán’s government has been aiming to achieve since 2017. Last year the outbreak of war in Ukraine was just around the corner In Hungary, defense spending increased by 30%. They should reach the target of 2% of GDP by 2024 recommended by NATO to all its members.
According to Ágnes Vadai, opposition MP and former State Secretary in the Defense Ministry, it is currently a “de-NATO process of the Hungarian army”. “Officers over 45 are the ones who have international experience, speak foreign languages and have been trained in NATO codes,” she said. The manner in which several soldiers learned of their early retirement reinforces the hypothesis of a political purge. According to the telex, some were called to Budapest to collect their thank-you letters while they were working abroad or in NATO.
A challenged Secretary of Defense
In addition, the profile of the new defense secretary appointed this summer has already raised many questions. Kristóf Szalay-Bobrovniczky, 52, a former ambassador and businessman, is suspected of having links with Russia through a Russian-Hungarian consortium active in the rail sector, in which he was a shareholder. He too is suspected of having a conflict of interest, this time as a shareholder in a Czech aircraft manufacturer that has just sold jets to the Hungarian army.
Although Hungary is a member of NATO, Budapest is a concern for the alliance. Parliament still hasn’t voted to ratify Finland and Sweden’s NATO membership, making Hungary the only country alongside Turkey still blocking the process. The permeability of the country for the Russian secret services also harbors the risk that confidential information will reach Moscow. Above all, Budapest is sticking to its “pacifist” line and refusing to send arms to Ukraine or even allow arms convoys through its territory. This week, however, Hungary agreed to send 500 million euros in additional European military aid to Kyiv, while reiterating its opposition to new sanctions.