Defence Minister Dr. Imre Szekeres awarded the Medal of Service ornamented with laurel wreath to former EUMC Chairman Gen. Henri Bentégeat. Gen. (Eng.) László Tömböl, Chief, MoD HDF Defence Staff also attended the event that took place on 23 March. Gen. Bentégeat held the position of EUMC Chairman between 2006 and 2009, and he has been decorated for his sustained efforts made in the interest of developing French–Hungarian relations.

Hungarian CHOD Gen. (Eng.) László Tömböl handed a chief’s mace to Gen. Bentégeat in recognition of his work. The French general expressed his thanks for the award. He went on saying that he was 10 years old at the time of the 1956 revolution and freedom fight in Hungary, and ever since he has considered Hungarian people courageous and freedom-loving. He had been wary of his reception before his first visit to Hungary because his grandfather told him much about the Treaty of Trianon, which he disapproved of. Today we have excellent military-to-military relations between the two countries, and France highly appreciates Hungary’s contribution to the stabilization of the Balkans.