NATO Secretary-General Anders Fogh Rasmussen on Thursday welcomed Hungary’s decision to slightly increase its defence budget next year in spite of the current economic crisis.
Meeting reporters after talks with Prime Minister Gordon Bajnai, Rasmussen noted that the guideline for the NATO states was to earmark at least 2 percent of GDP for defence purposes. At present, however, not all member states are able to meet this requirement, he said.
The secretary-general quoted Bajnai as saying that Hungary aimed to increase its defence spending to that level over the long term.
He welcomed the Hungarian government’s reaffirmation of its commitment to contribute to NATO operations and continue reforming its armed services.
As a former prime minister, he said, he was aware of how policy challenges on the domestic front and the economic crisis made it difficult to keep financial commitments.
Assessing Hungary’s NATO involvement he said, “All in all I have no reason for complaint.”
Rasmussen arrived in Budapest to address a conference marking the 60th anniversary of NATO.
