Serbia improves military co-operation with Hungary

Serbia improves military co-operation with Hungary

Military-to-military co-operation between the two neighbouring countries is important for regional and global peace and Serbia's military development.

Joint training with soldiers from Hungary will boost Serbia's military capabilities, experts said. [AFP]

Ongoing military co-operation between Serbia and Hungary has been contributing to bilateral relations and improvements in the military field.

In one of the latest examples of collaboration, a Hungarian officer will be stationed at the NATO office in Serbia this month. Marko Milosevic, a researcher with the Belgrade Centre for Security Policy, told SETimes that the move will improve the sense of regionalism.

"This is encouraging even better relations with KFOR forces, as there is a Hungarian contingent deployed there," Milosevic said. "The proof of how successful co-operation has been so far is the joint participation in the UN mission to Cyprus, which shows that the co-operation goes beyond the region."

Military-to-military co-operation also benefits Serbia's EU integration bid and relations with NATO, as Hungary is a member of both organisations.

"Closer military ties with a NATO and EU member can contribute to the acceleration of reforms that Serbia needs for EU entrance and establishing interoperability with NATO," Milovan Milosevic, executive director at the Atlantic Council of Serbia, told SETimes.

"More intense and direct military co-operation with one NATO member, in this case with Hungary, brings Serbia credibility within the Alliance," Milovan Milosevic continued. "It also strengthens the relations between Hungary and Serbia, [which will benefit] the significant number of Hungarian...