Hungary's Defence Minister Ruszin‑Szendi Calls for Prioritising EU Funds to Health Over Military

Defence Minister Romulus Ruszin‑Szendi told Index that, for the next two years, Hungary will not increase its defence budget beyond the statutory 2 % of GDP, keeping it stable while the government seeks to direct more EU funding to the health and social sectors. He cited the need to balance spending, noting that his predecessor allocated an extra 5 billion for office upgrades, which was subsequently redirected to modernise barracks.

Ruszin‑Szendi said the long‑term goal is to raise defence spending to 3.5 % of GDP by 2035 and that any extra resources will be sourced domestically where possible. He highlighted ongoing legislation to simplify procurement and improve transparency, and stressed that the overall fiscal capacity of Hungary must be respected when planning these allocations.