Honoring the Romanian soldiers’ memory

Speaking at the event, Lieutenant Colonel Ionut Popa, Romania’s military and air attaché accredited to Hungary recalled that the liberation of Romania’s territory during World War II was completed on 25 October 1944. He emphasized that the Romanian Armed Forces Day, which has been celebrated on 25 October each year since 1959, is the expression of the tribute to the heroes, the significance of which nowadays has outstanding importance, especially in the light of Romania’s membership in NATO and the EU. “Romania shows that the guarantees of peace, stability and development are communication, openness and the process of Euro-Atlantic integration” – said the defence attaché.

On behalf of the Romanian Orthodox Church in Hungary, the ecclesiastical service of the ceremony was provided by Monk David Pop, Head of St. John the Baptist Romanian orthodox church in Budapest. At the commemoration, wreaths were laid by Romania’s ambassador to Budapest Gabriel Sopandă and Lieutenant Colonel Ionut Popa at the ceremonial plot of more than 100 known and unknown Romanian soldiers who fell during the battle of Budapest between November 1944 and January 1945.

On behalf of Hungary, wreaths were laid by MoD Deputy State Secretary for Human Resources Dr. János Czermann; Colonel Imre Szűcs, Deputy Commander, HDF Territorial Defence and Military Augmentation Command; and Colonel Ferenc Schleisz, Deputy Commander, HDF Transformation Command. Major General Tibor Králik, Commander, Headquarters Multinational Division – Centre (HQ MND-C) also paid tribute to the memory of the soldiers laid to eternal rest.