Hungarian defence minister proposes reinstating unvaccinated soldiers dismissed during Covid

Defence Minister Romulusz Ruszin-Szendi indicated that the government will permit soldiers dismissed for refusing the Covid-19 vaccine to re-enter the Hungarian armed forces, fulfilling a pledge by the Tisza Párt. During the pandemic, unvaccinated troops were sent on a one-year unpaid leave and prohibited from demobilising or taking second jobs, a situation described by Kádár András Kristóf of the Magyar Helsinki Bizottság as a forced-starvation measure.

Estimates show around 1,200 soldiers were impacted; about 600 were released by mutual consent, while just over 300 later received the vaccine and returned to duty. Those who remained unvaccinated were barred from reinstatement after March 2022 and had their contracts terminated in December 2022. Former sergeant Zoltán Pálóczi, acting as spokesperson for the group, is demanding full rehabilitation, including compensation for the unpaid year and the 2022 weapon allowance. A parliamentary proposal by Novák Előd to address the issue has stalled, leaving the matter pending as the ministry reviews the case.