Col. Gen. Lajos Fodor (born 27 July 1947) is a retired Hungarian military officer and diplomat, who served as the Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Hungary from 1 August 1999 to 28 February 2003.[1][2][3]
Lajos Fodor | |
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| Born | 27 July 1947 Debrecen, Hungary |
| Allegiance |  Hungary |
| Years of service | 1970–1999 1999–2003 |
| Rank | Colonel General |
| Commands held | General Staff of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Hungary |
| Awards | Commander's Cross of the Order of Merit of the Republic of Hungary |
Career
Fodor functioned as First Deputy Chief of General Staff from 1996 to 1999, in this capacity, he had a significant role in Hungary's accession to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). He served as Deputy Secretary of State for Defence Policy between 15 February and 31 July 1999, under Minister János Szabó. He suspended his military service for that short time. He was appointed Chief of the General Staff and promoted to Colonel General by President Árpád Göncz on 1 August 1999. He also served as Commander of the Hungarian Army until 2001, when the General Staff was integrated to the Ministry of Defence and the military's command function abolished. His relationship with the new Minister Ferenc Juhász has broken down in 2002.[4] Ferenc Mádl acquitted him from his position on 28 February 2003. He was awarded Commander's Cross of the Order of Merit of the Republic of Hungary then.[5]
After that he entered the diplomatic career, when he was appointed Hungarian Ambassador to Australia and New Zealand. He held that function until 2007. He became Secretary of State for Administration under Defence Minister Csaba Hende in the Second Cabinet of Viktor Orbán. He was replaced by István Dankó on 31 January 2013.[6]
Promotions
Fodor's promotions according to his CV:
- 1970 – Lieutenant
- 1974 – Captain
- 1979 – Major
- 1983 – Lieutenant Colonel
- 1986 – Colonel
- 1992 – Major General
- 1997 – Lieutenant General
- 1999 – Colonel General
Awards and decorations
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| 1st row | Hungarian Order of Merit Commanders's Cross with Star on military ribbon | Merit Medal for Service Gold Cross | Merit Medal for Service Silver Cross | Service Medals for Officers (Hungary) 1st class |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2nd row | Medal for Service to the Country (HPR) Gold Medal | Medal for Service to the Country (HPR) Gold Medal | Medal for Service to the Country (HPR) Silver Medal | Meritorious Service Medal HPR (1964) for 25 years service |
| 3rd row | Meritorious Service Medal HPR (1964) for 20 years service | Meritorious Service Medal HPR (1964) for 15 years service | Meritorious Service Medal HPR (1964) for 10 years service | Commander of the Legion of Merit |
| 4th row | Hungarian "Honours for the Alliance" Military Award | Foreign Warsaw Pact medal | Medal of Merit for Friendship Gold Medal | Medal "For Strengthening of Brotherhood in Arms" |
- Order of John Hunyadi (2001)