Croatia deploys 9th military contingent to NATO mission in Hungary

A ceremony marking the deployment of Croatia’s 9th contingent to NATO’s Forward Land Forces activity as part of the Multinational Battle Group in Hungary was held on August 11 at the 9th Guards Brigade “Wolves” barracks in Gospić.

The contingent consists of 59 members of the Croatian Armed Forces, including 40 light infantry platoon personnel, three medical team members, two military police personnel, seven staff members, five members of the national support element, and the command team, led by contingent commander Colonel Saša Berger and First Lieutenant Mislav Soldić, CE Report informs via the Ministry of Defence of Croatia's official website.

State Secretary Drago Matanović said Croatia’s participation confirms the country’s consistent commitment to its allied obligations and NATO values.

“By doing so, we not only contribute to the security of the European area, but also further strengthen Croatia’s international reputation as a responsible, reliable and credible ally. At the same time, activities such as these are extremely valuable for the development of our Armed Forces. Working and training in a multinational environment, exchanging experience and daily cooperation with members of allied armed forces further develop your professional capabilities, increase interoperability and strengthen the readiness of the Croatian Armed Forces,” Matanović said.

Commander of Croatia’s 9th contingent in Hungary, Colonel Saša Berger, said he believed the contingent would successfully contribute to collective security and demonstrate the high level of preparedness and capability of the Croatian Armed Forces to operate in multinational environments and under any conditions.

“The combination of experience and youth is, in a way, an excellent prerequisite for successfully carrying out the tasks ahead of us. The experiences of the Homeland War show us that the security of our homes and our homeland should not be defended at our doorsteps, but along the directions from which the threat comes,” Berger said.

The ceremony was attended by the families and friends of contingent members, as well as senior Croatian defence and military officials.

Croatia’s contingent is participating in the activity pursuant to a decision of the Croatian Parliament. The first Croatian contingent was deployed to the area of operations in July 2022. Up to 70 members of the Croatian Armed Forces can be deployed in an individual rotation, with provision for rotating up to 140 personnel annually.

Since 2022, several hundred Croatian Armed Forces personnel have participated in successive six-month rotations in Hungary. The NATO activity focuses on joint training, integration with allied forces and maintaining a high level of operational readiness.

Through exercises with the armed forces of Hungary, the United States, Italy and other partners, the contingent continuously develops interoperability and applies NATO standards.

Members of the 9th Croatian contingent in Hungary demonstrate a high level of training, tactical maturity and operational capability through the professional execution of their tasks in an international environment.

Photo Ministry of Defence of Croatia