Prime Minister Viktor Orbán said that in more and more places in the world order and security are no longer a given but things that have to be fought for, adding that Hungary protects itself and the lives, peace, property and freedom of its citizens.

Speaking at an officers' graduation ceremony at the National University of Public Service on Saturday, the prime minister said history shows that order is not something that can come about on its own, but that it is something that must be created and then protected. "If we neglect it, if we don’t protect it, order will disintegrate, and with it, freedom, security and all of civilised life," he added.

"Today we are again living in dangerous times," PM Orbán warned, noting the wars in Ukraine and the Middle East, the "migrants besieging the borders of countries" and the growing political and military tensions in and outside Europe. He said new threats like terrorism, illegal migration, cyberattacks and "ideological nonsense" risked undermining the rule of law and everyday security.

The prime minister said there were more and more places in the world where order and security were no longer a given, but rather things that had to be fought for, which made the service of officers protecting the public order all the more important. He said the officers’ oath-taking ceremony was a clear stance that, as its constitution states, Hungary protects its citizens.

"This is a statement of fact, and at the same time, a strict order," PM Orbán said. "We protect ourselves, we protect the lives, peace, property and freedom of the Hungarian people."

But, PM Orbán said, the law and technology were not enough to ensure this, because the most important were the officers themselves who represented law and order and were not afraid to confront danger.

PM Orbán said the young officers who swear an oath to "stand their ground when others would back down" deserve recognition.

The prime minister noted that the new officers were swearing on the constitution, which was the foundation of statehood and the rule of law and which represented "an alliance between Hungarians of the past, present and future".

He said the officers’ graduation ceremony was "the celebration of the beginning of a profession", but was also a "serious moral undertaking" because the law enforcement officer’s oath was not just about service but also about setting an example. He said the officers were expected to be calm but firm in their actions, and would be counted on "in every corner of Hungary, even where there’s less light and even where temptation is greater".

The officers’ mission, PM Orbán said, would not be easy or free of dangers, but would be uplifting and have "the greatest trust".

"The Hungarian nation is counting on you," the prime minister said.