Moldovan Defense Minister Anatolie Nosatii and Hungarian Defense Minister Kristof Szalay-Bobrovnicki
According to the Hungarian minister, Budapest supports Moldova’s efforts for European and Euro-Atlantic integration. At the same time, he said, the accession process should be based on the merit principle – on concrete reforms, measurable results and sustainable commitment to European values.
The minister added that Hungary does not agree with any enlargement on political or ideological grounds and considers the possible admission of Ukraine an exemplary example,” the Hungarian Defense Ministry said.
The ministry’s press release states that Hungary rejects pressure from Brussels to link the Ukraine issue to the efforts and results of other candidate countries and thus make “decision packages” without a professional and results-based assessment.
“Hungary will not participate in any political compromises: each candidate should be evaluated separately, based on its own results, and the progress of one country should not be used as a means of pressure for the benefit of another,” the defense ministry said in a release.
At the meeting, the two sides also reviewed the regional security situation. Christoph Salai-Bobrownicki noted that Europe needs genuine cooperation and solidarity in the current unpredictable environment.
He said Hungary sets an example in this respect, as it supported Moldova during the difficult period of its energy crisis. “At the same time now Hungary is still waiting for the necessary support from the European Commission in connection with Ukraine’s attacks on the Hungarian energy supply to no avail,” Hungary’s defense ministry said in a statement.
The Moldovan Defense Ministry specified that Anatolie Nosatii and Christof Szalay-Bobrovnitsky signed a memorandum of understanding aimed at strengthening cooperation between the defense agencies of the two countries.
The signed Memorandum was an important step towards a closer cooperation between the two countries, based on the principles of trust, transparency and common commitments,” the Moldovan Defense Ministry said in a press release. The document provides for joint activities and exchange of experience in a number of areas, including defense policy, human resources management, military medicine, military history, education and training.
