Brunssum, The Netherlands – General Guglielmo Luigi Miglietta, Joint Force Command Brunssum (JFC Brunssum) Commander, visited Székesfehérvar, Hungary to attend a ceremony recognising NATO Multinational Division Centre´s (MND-C) achievement of Initial Operating Capability (IOC), 31st March, 2023.
MND-C is now an established part of the NATO team
“To achieve this significant milestone in only ten months is remarkable, and testimony to the hard work and professional dedication of the men and women of Multinational Division Centre,” General Miglietta said in his speech at the ceremony.
He stressed that the MND-C’s achievements were a testament to NATO's commitment to collective defence and solidarity among allies. He also highlighted that the strengthening of the command structure in Eastern Europe was a key element of NATO's new strategic concept agreed in Madrid in 2022, which aims to enhance NATO's readiness, responsiveness and resilience.
“MND-C is now an established part of the NATO team,” General Miglietta continued. “You will be key to the development and employment of forces to guarantee security in this part of the Alliance.”
General Miglietta added that the MND-C was "a clear example of NATO's adaptation and transformation" in response to the changing security environment. He also expressed his hope that NATO would continue to grow and develop its new strategy by implementing Operational Plans and the upcoming NATO Force Model.
As part of the same ceremony, MND-C also became the command element of the two NATO Force Integration Units (NFIU) in the region: NFIUs Hungary and Slovakia. As of 1st April 2023, these two NFIU’s are operationally controlled by Hq MND-C during peacetime and operation as well.
MND-C, established in 2021 as a part of NATO's enhanced Vigilance Activities (eVA) in Eastern Europe, is composed of troops from three Framework Nations, Hungary, Croatia, Slovakia, and from other participating Nations, Poland Romania, Slovenia, Spain and Türkiye.
The ceremony was attended by Hungarian Minister of Defence Kristóf Szalay-Bobrovniczky; Croatian Minister of Defence Mario Banožić; Slovakian State Secretary of the Ministry of Defence Marian Majer; Supreme Allied Commander Europe (SACEUR) General Christopher Cavoli; Croatian Chief of Defence Admiral Robert Hranj; Commander of Hungarian Defence Forces Lieutenant General Romulusz Ruszin-Szendi; Deputy Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Slovakia, Lieutentant General Ľubomír SVOBODA; Commander of Multinational Corps Northeast, Lieutenant General Jürgen-Joachim von Sandrart; Commander of Multinational Division Centre, Major General Denis Tretinjak; Chief of staff of NATO Rapid Deployable Corps Spain, Major General Enrique SILVELA; Mayor of Székesfehérvár ,András CSER-PALKOVICS.