Prestigious recognition in Sarajevo

Hungary has been participating in international peacebuilding and peacekeeping missions in Bosnia and Herzegovina since the end of the Bosnian war in 1995, and has been an important troop contributing nation of the European Union Force in Bosnia and Herzegovina (EUFOR) Operation Althea since its formation in 2004. The outstanding engagement of the Hungarian Defence Forces is reflected in the fact that during the last 21 years, the EUFOR leadership has always included a Hungarian general among its members. For the first time in the history of the mission, in 2024, Major General László Sticz PhD took over command of the operation. For more than a decade, Hungary has filled the position of EUFOR chief of staff, which is currently held by Brigadier General Tibor Szabó for a year starting from May 2025.

The handover-takeover ceremony of the EUFOR Change of Command is held in January every year – on the occasion of this year’s event, Brigadier General Szabó received two international recognitions for his high-level service in support of the Commander of EUFOR and Operation Althea. The EUFOR Commander’s certificate was presented to the Hungarian general by the awarder, Major General Florin-Marian Barbu, whereas the Emblem of Honor of the Defense Staff awarded by the Romanian Chief of Defense Staff by Lieutenant General Iulian Berdilă, Deputy Chief of Defense for Operations and Training, Romanian Armed Forces.

Brigadier General Szabó is to fill the chief of staff position of the operation until May this year.