NO MISSILES TO PROTECT BUDAPEST AIRSPACE

Only two fighters protect the Hungarian airspace against any unexpected foreign attack or terrorist action and the strategic points of Budapest are not protected by permanently deployed missiles, either.

The Ministry of Defence claims, however, that the safety of the country is guaranteed because they have made serious measures to enhance air defence. János Deák, former chief of the general staff said in a conference last week this state of defencelessness was untenable. Experts claim the airspace of Budapest cannot be protected by the two fighters in Kecskemét held in preparedness. The Ministry of Defence said the new base in Veszprém integrated with the NATO radar system gave a sufficient protection.

Translated by Péter Szentmihályi Szabó