1.
Law enforcement in Hungary
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Law enforcement in Hungary is split among the Police and Border Guards, and the Customs and Excise Authority. Since 2006, the Police has been subject to the Ministry of Justice, due to Hungarys accession to the Schengen Treaty, the Police and Border Guards were merged into a single national corps, with the Border Guards becoming Police Officers. This merger took place in January 2008, the Customs and Excise Authority remained to be subject to the Ministry of Finance. The national police headquarters is located in Budapest, 13th District and it is nicknamed as Police Palace. In February,2007, the headquarters was the target of small fire, with multiple bullet holes being found in the building. The Hungarian Police is the main and largest governmental law enforcement agency in Hungary and it reports to the Ministry of the Interior and headed by the National Commissioner of the Police. It carries out general policing, patrolling, traffic policing, bordeg control and it is divided into twenty regional units one for the capital city Budapest and nineteen for the nineteen counties of Hungary. It mainly deals with counter-terrorist activities, the majority of the officers serving in the body are trained as SWAT officers to fight against armed criminals. They interfere when necessary in any case if asked for by the National Police or other authorities, since the service was established, the corruption within the public sphere in Hungary including law enforcement agencies decreased to some exttent. Up to now it has not been proven that the National Protective Service would have abused its powers granted by law in any way. The National Protection Service has established its own code of conduct, the National Security Service is one of the civilian secret services of Hungary under the direct control of the Minister of the Interior. The service rather fights against organised crime than dealing with counter-espionage nowadays, the Constitution Protection Agency is the main internal civilian secret service of Hungary under the control of the Minister of the Interior. In Hungary there are also municipal / local police forces with very limited jurisdictions, the most widespread form of local police organisations is the Közterület-felügyelet which can be found in the capital and larger towns in the country. If they recognise some serious crime, they are to call the National Police, many local government also employs so-called Mezőőrség in order to defend rural areas and infields. Államvédelmi Osztály Államvédelmi Hatóság Csendőrség Crime in Hungary Law Enforcement and Public Safety Service Police of Hungary Hungary Corruption Profile from the Business Anti-Corruption Portal
2.
Budapest
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Budapest is the capital and most populous city of Hungary, one of the largest cities in the European Union and sometimes described as the primate city of Hungary. It has an area of 525 square kilometres and a population of about 1.8 million within the limits in 2016. Budapest became a single city occupying both banks of the Danube river with the unification of Buda and Óbuda on the west bank, the history of Budapest began with Aquincum, originally a Celtic settlement that became the Roman capital of Lower Pannonia. Hungarians arrived in the territory in the 9th century and their first settlement was pillaged by the Mongols in 1241–1242. The re-established town became one of the centres of Renaissance humanist culture by the 15th century, following the Battle of Mohács and nearly 150 years of Ottoman rule, the region entered a new age of prosperity, and Budapest became a global city after its unification in 1873. It also became the co-capital of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, a power that dissolved in 1918. Budapest was the point of the Hungarian Revolution of 1848, the Hungarian Republic of Councils in 1919, the Battle of Budapest in 1945. Budapest is an Alpha- global city, with strengths in arts, commerce, design, education, entertainment, fashion, finance, healthcare, media, services, research, and tourism. Its business district hosts the Budapest Stock Exchange and the headquarters of the largest national and international banks and it is the highest ranked Central and Eastern European city on Innovation Cities Top 100 index. Budapest attracts 4.4 million international tourists per year, making it the 25th most popular city in the world, further famous landmarks include Andrássy Avenue, St. It has around 80 geothermal springs, the worlds largest thermal water system, second largest synagogue. Budapest is home to the headquarters of the European Institute of Innovation and Technology, the European Police College, over 40 colleges and universities are located in Budapest, including the Eötvös Loránd University, Central European University and Budapest University of Technology and Economics. Budapest is the combination of the city names Buda and Pest, One of the first documented occurrences of the combined name Buda-Pest was in 1831 in the book Világ, written by Count István Széchenyi. The origins of the names Buda and Pest are obscure, according to chronicles from the Middle Ages, the name Buda comes from the name of its founder, Bleda, brother of the Hunnic ruler Attila. The theory that Buda was named after a person is also supported by modern scholars, an alternative explanation suggests that Buda derives from the Slavic word вода, voda, a translation of the Latin name Aquincum, which was the main Roman settlement in the region. There are also theories about the origin of the name Pest. One of the states that the word Pest comes from the Roman times. According to another theory, Pest originates from the Slavic word for cave, or oven, the first settlement on the territory of Budapest was built by Celts before 1 AD
3.
Schengen Agreement
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The Schengen Agreement is a treaty which led to the creation of Europes Schengen Area, in which internal border checks have largely been abolished. It was signed on 14 June 1985, near the town of Schengen, Luxembourg, in 1990, the Agreement was supplemented by the Schengen Convention which proposed the complete abolition of systematic internal border controls and a common visa policy. It currently consists of 26 European countries covering a population of over 400 million people, originally, the Schengen treaties and the rules adopted under them operated independently from the European Union. Several non-EU countries are included in the area, however, systematic identity controls were still in place at the border between most member states. The agreement was signed on the Princess Marie-Astrid boat on the river Moselle near the town of Schengen, Luxembourg, three of the signatories, Belgium, Luxembourg and the Netherlands, had already abolished common border controls as part of the Benelux Economic Union. In 1990, the Agreement was supplemented by the Schengen Convention which proposed the abolition of border controls. It was this Convention that created the Schengen Area through the abolition of border controls between Schengen member states, common rules on visas, and police and judicial cooperation. In December 1996 two non-EU member states, Norway and Iceland, signed an agreement with the signatories of the Agreement to become part of the Schengen Area. While this agreement never came into force, both countries did become part of the Schengen Area after concluding similar agreements with the EU, the Schengen Convention itself was not open for signature by non-EU member states. In 2009, Switzerland finalised its official entry to the Schengen Area with the acceptance of an agreement by popular referendum in 2005. Now that the Schengen Agreement is part of the acquis communautaire, it has, for EU members, lost the status of a treaty, instead, amendments are made according to the legislative procedure of the EU under EU treaties. Ratification by the former agreement signatory states is not required for altering or repealing some or all of the former Schengen acquis, legal acts setting out the conditions for entry into the Schengen Area are now made by majority vote in the EUs legislative bodies. However, consultations with affected countries are conducted prior to the adoption of new legislation. In 2016, border controls were introduced in seven Schengen countries. This was a response to the European migrant crisis
4.
Counter Terrorism Centre
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They are the Hungarian equivalent of the German GSG9 and the French GIGN. It belongs to the Hungarian Ministry of Interior, headed by Sándor Pintér, TEK headquarters is located at Zách street, Pál Maléter Barracks, Kőbánya, Budapest, Hungary. TEK was founded by the Second Cabinet of Viktor Orbán on 1 September 2010, according to the Hungarian ombudsman, TEK is the most professional, well-financed and well-equipped state agency in the country. According to Sándor Pintér, the Minister of Interior, TEK doesnt use tanks, according to the official statement producers failed to consult with the authorities and despite of the import documentations indication, all weapons were found to be fully functional. Later prosecutors office dropped the charges in February 2012, on August 13,2012, three Hungarian nationals were held hostage by Syrian gunmen in Damascus. A detachment from TEK was deployed to Syria to set free the Hungarians and they arrived in Budapest on August 27,2012 without injury. In 2015 and 2016 the Europe-wide terrorist attacks and threat resulted in increased funds and they cooperated with the army and police to secure & patrol Budapest after the March 22 Brussels attacks. Law enforcement in Hungary Military of Hungary Budget of the Hungarian Ministry of Interior - State agencies 2012
5.
Hungarian prime minister
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The following is a list of Prime Ministers of Hungary from when the first Prime Minister, Lajos Batthyány, took office in 1848 until the present day. The prime minister is head of the Government of Hungary, there are currently five living former Prime Ministers of Hungary. EKGP continued to support the government, while FKGP went into opposition,2 SZDSZ left the Gyurcsány II Cabinet on 20 April 2008. 3 The Bajnai Cabinet was supported externally by SZDSZ, izsák, Alajos – Pölöskei, Ferenc – Romsics, Ignác – Urbán, Aladár, Magyar miniszterelnökök 1848–2002, Kossuth Kiadó, Budapest,2003. Markó, László, A magyar állam főméltóságai Szent Istvántól napjainkig – Életrajzi Lexikon, Helikon Kiadó Kft
6.
Constitution Protection Office
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The Constitution Protection Office is a Hungarian internal security intelligence agency, formerly known as Nemzetbiztonsági Hivatal. Its primary responsibilities are, counterintelligence, anticorruption, economic security, the AH also leads investigations against organized crime and deals with threats against society. László Göbölös since 2010 internet page of the AH
7.
Counterintelligence
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Modern tactics of espionage and dedicated government intelligence agencies were developed over the course of the late 19th century. A key background to this development was the Great Game, a period denoting the strategic rivalry, as espionage became more widely used, it became imperative to expand the role of existing police and internal security forces into a role of detecting and countering foreign spies. The Austro-Hungarian Evidenzbureau was entrusted with the role from the late 19th century to counter the actions of the Pan-Slavist movement operating out of Serbia. The Okhrana was initially formed in 1880 to combat terrorism and left-wing revolutionary activity throughout the Russian Empire. Its main concern was the activities of revolutionaries, who worked and plotted subversive actions from abroad. It created an antenna in Paris run by Pyotr Rachkovsky to monitor their activities, the agency used many methods to achieve its goals, including covert operations, undercover agents, and perlustration—the interception and reading of private correspondence. The Okhrana became notorious for its use of provocateurs who often succeeded in penetrating the activities of revolutionary groups including the Bolsheviks. Integrated counterintelligence agencies run directly by governments were also established, the British Secret Service Bureau was founded in 1909 as the first independent and interdepartmental agency fully in control over all government counterintelligence activities. Its first director was Captain Sir George Mansfield Smith-Cumming alias C, the Secret Service Bureau was split into a foreign and counter intelligence domestic service in 1910. The latter was headed by Sir Vernon Kell and was aimed at calming public fears of large scale German espionage. Many governments organize counterintelligence agencies separate and distinct from their intelligence services for specialized purposes. In most countries the counterintelligence mission is spread over multiple organizations, there is usually a domestic counterintelligence service, usually part of a larger law enforcement organization such as the Federal Bureau of Investigation in the United States. The Russian Federations major domestic security organization is the FSB, which came from the Second Chief Directorate. Canada separates the functions of general defensive counterintelligence, security intelligence, law enforcement intelligence, military organizations have their own counterintelligence forces, capable of conducting protective operations both at home and when deployed abroad. Depending on the country, there can be various mixtures of civilian, for example, while offensive counterintelligence is a mission of the US CIAs National Clandestine Service, defensive counterintelligence is a mission of the U. S. Diplomatic Security Service, Department of State, who work on security for personnel. In the United States, there is a careful line drawn between intelligence and law enforcement. In the United Kingdom, there is a distinction between the Security Service and the Special Branch of the Metropolitan Police, other countries also deal with the proper organization of defenses against FIS, often with separate services with no common authority below the head of government
8.
Crime in Hungary
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Crime in Hungary is combated by the Hungarian police and other agencies. In 2016, Hungary had 224 homicides at a rate of 2.28 per 100,000, in 2010, there were an average of 4,000 crimes against every 100,000 members of the population, of which at least 50% were considered serious crimes. Corruption is an issue in Hungary. According to Transparency International Hungary, almost one-third of top managers claim they regularly bribe politicians, most people in Hungary think that the sector most affected by bribery is the political party system. Jozsef Hatala of the National Police stated in 2011 that the underworld is strongest in Budapest. The murder rate is spread throughout Hungary and it is lower in the northeast county of Borsod-Abaúj-Zemplén and the westernmost counties while it is highest in Pest County and Budapest
9.
European Union
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The European Union is a political and economic union of 28 member states that are located primarily in Europe. It has an area of 4,475,757 km2, the EU has developed an internal single market through a standardised system of laws that apply in all member states. Within the Schengen Area, passport controls have been abolished, a monetary union was established in 1999 and came into full force in 2002, and is composed of 19 EU member states which use the euro currency. The EU operates through a system of supranational and intergovernmental decision-making. The EU traces its origins from the European Coal and Steel Community, the community and its successors have grown in size by the accession of new member states and in power by the addition of policy areas to its remit. While no member state has left the EU or its antecedent organisations, the Maastricht Treaty established the European Union in 1993 and introduced European citizenship. The latest major amendment to the basis of the EU. The EU as a whole is the largest economy in the world, additionally,27 out of 28 EU countries have a very high Human Development Index, according to the United Nations Development Programme. In 2012, the EU was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize, through the Common Foreign and Security Policy, the EU has developed a role in external relations and defence. The union maintains permanent diplomatic missions throughout the world and represents itself at the United Nations, the World Trade Organization, the G7, because of its global influence, the European Union has been described as an emerging superpower. After World War II, European integration was seen as an antidote to the nationalism which had devastated the continent. 1952 saw the creation of the European Coal and Steel Community, the supporters of the Community included Alcide De Gasperi, Jean Monnet, Robert Schuman, and Paul-Henri Spaak. These men and others are credited as the Founding fathers of the European Union. In 1957, Belgium, France, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands and West Germany signed the Treaty of Rome and they also signed another pact creating the European Atomic Energy Community for co-operation in developing nuclear energy. Both treaties came into force in 1958, the EEC and Euratom were created separately from the ECSC, although they shared the same courts and the Common Assembly. The EEC was headed by Walter Hallstein and Euratom was headed by Louis Armand, Euratom was to integrate sectors in nuclear energy while the EEC would develop a customs union among members. During the 1960s, tensions began to show, with France seeking to limit supranational power, Jean Rey presided over the first merged Commission. In 1973, the Communities enlarged to include Denmark, Ireland, Norway had negotiated to join at the same time, but Norwegian voters rejected membership in a referendum
10.
European Border and Coast Guard Agency
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Frontex was established in 2004 as the European Agency for the Management of Operational Cooperation at the External Borders, and primarily responsible for coordinating border control efforts. The staff of the agency would gradually increase from 402 members in 2016 to 1,000 by 2020, Frontex, then officially the European Agency for the Management of Operational Cooperation at the External Borders, was established by Council of Regulation 2007/2004. It began work on 3 October 2005 and was the first EU agency to be based in one of the new EU member states from 2004. Frontex mission is to help European Union member states implement EU rules on external border controls, while it remains the task of each member state to control its own borders, Frontex is vested to ensure that they all do so with the same high standard of efficiency. The agencys main tasks according to the Council Regulation are, coordinate cooperation between states in external border management. Assisting member states in training of national border guards, following research relevant for the control and surveillance of external borders. Helping member states requiring technical and operational assistance at external borders, providing member states with the necessary support in organising joint return operations. The institution was centrally and hierarchically organised with a management board, the member states representatives are operational heads of national security services concerned with border guard management. Frontex also has representatives from and works closely with Europol and Interpol, the Management Board is the leading component of the agency, controlling the personal, financial, and organisational structure, as well as initiating operative tasks in annual work programmes. Additionally, the Board appoints the Executive Director, the first Director was Ilkka Laitinen. The agency initially struggled to recruit due to its location in Warsaw, which offered lower pay than some other cities. According to its third amended Budget 2015, the agency had in that year 336 employees, additionally it could make use of 78 employees which had been seconded from the member states. Frontexs European Patron Network began work in the Canary Islands in May 2007, the Commission was prompted to take swift action due to the immigration crisis of 2015, which brought to the forefront the need to improve the security of the external borders of the union. The new Agency was proposed by the European Commission on 15 December 2015 to strengthen Frontex, support for the proposal has come from France and Germany, with Poland and Hungary expressing opposition to the plan, concerned by the perceived loss of sovereignty. The enhanced Agency will be strengthened and reinforced to address all these issues, the legal grounds for the proposal are article 77, paragraph 2 and, and article 79, paragraph 2, of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union. On 18 December 2015, the European Council roundly supported the proposal, the Border and Coast Guard was officially launched on 6 October 2016 at the Bulgarian external border with Turkey. Securing and patrolling of the borders of the European Union is a shared responsibility of the Agency. The European Border and Coast Guard Agency is not a new body and it does not replace Frontex and it retains the same legal personality
11.
Border guard
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A border guard of a country is a national security agency that performs border control, i. e. enforces the security of the countrys national borders. Some of the border guard agencies also perform coast guard. In different countries, names of particular border guard services vary significantly, the service may be called police, guard, troops or sentinel and the name would refer to the nations official term for the state border - whether it is frontier or border. Most border guards of the world use dark green-colored elements on their uniform, patrols go out regularly from the Border outposts to patrol the international border to check illegal crossings and track any footprints of those who may have crossed over illegally or attempted to. The Border Guard may also perform delegated customs and immigration control duties, wartime assistance of the Border guard to the Army is essential as they are familiar with the local terrain having patrolled it on a daily basis during peacetime. During wars, Border outposts are reworked into well fortified dug-in positions from where regular Army units can operate to defend the integrity of the country. Border Guards Bangladesh is a border security and anti-smuggling force under the Ministry of Home Affairs of Bangladesh. BGB can trace back its origin to the establishment of the Ramgarh Local Battalion in 1795 and this force is lightly armed and although its primary duty is to protect the border, during national emergencies it can also be called upon to aid the government. Canada Border Services Agency is a law enforcement agency of the Department of Public Safety, created in 2003, it amalgamated the enforcement activities performed by three separate government entities. Traditionally unarmed, the arming of Border Services Officers, Investigators, Officers are found at entry points to Canada in some conflicts such as the Six Day War. Also, many border posts are staffed by Carabinieri, the Immigration and Border Police also performs border police duties. The State Border Guard Service is the charged with controlling and maintaining the Lithuanian Border. The State Border Guard Service falls under authority of the Ministry of the Interior, Border patrol and immigration control in Macau are conducted by Public Security Police Force of Macau at land entries with China and at Macau International Airport. Customs duties are performed by Macau Customs agency, both border guards and customs officers are responsibilities of the Secretariat for Security. Before the establishment of the agency, Malaysian borders was guarded by the Malaysian Armed Forces, the Royal Marechaussee is the fourth organization within the Dutch Royal Army, besides Army, Navy and Air Force. Besides patrolling the border it also has the function of Military Police, sometime thereafter, the Border Security Bureau was enlarged to corps level and renamed the Border Security Command. Previously headquartered in Chagang Province, the Border Security Command was relocated to P’yŏngyang in 2002, the Frontier Corps is a federal paramilitary force recruited mostly by people from the tribal areas and led by officers from the Pakistan Army. The FC is stationed in the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan Province, are known as FC NWFP and FC Balochistan, the Pakistan Rangers are a paramilitary force under the control of the Ministry of the Interior of the Pakistani government
12.
Police and Border Guard Board
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On April 13,2007 the Ministry of the Interior established a working group in order commence research about possible unification of the Estonian Police and Estonian Border Guard agencies. The history of the unified Police and Border Guard Boards formally begins with the establishment of the Police, in October 2007, the Ministry of the Interior created another working group with an operational task to start the unification process. On August 31,2008, the Cabinet approved the creation of a new government organization within the Ministry of the Interior with the unification of three agencies. In June, the Cabinet appointed Raivo Küüt to be the first Director General of the organization, on January 1,2010, the Police and Border Guard Board officially started work. Politsei- ja Piirivalveamet is a government agency responsible for the preservation of civilian law. The organization has more than 7,000 servicemen, of which 6,000 are in active duty, the agency is divided into three main operational departments, Police Board, Border Guard Board, and the Citizenship and Migration Board. The structure of the organization is divided into four regional districts. Each of the four prefectures is combined with several police stations, the Estonian Police are the law enforcement agency of Estonia. The Estonian Police has three units, the Central Criminal Police, the Central Law Enforcement and the Forensic Service Centre. There are 4 territorial police units called Police Prefectures, the local police chiefs are called prefects. Eastern Police Department Southern Police Department Western Police Department Northern Police Department Currently, there are twenty operational police stations, the Border Guard Board is an armed governmental organization operating since January 2010 within the Ministry of Interior. These facilities are located only in the south on the Estonian-Latvian border, the agency is further responsible for organizing and cooperating within the international protection protocols. Currently there are 18 operational Citizenship and Migration Board offices and client service facilities in Estonia, the head of the Police Board is the Director General of Police. The head of the district is the Police Commissioner. With the unification of the Police and Border Guard Boards several new ranks were created which now also includes the ranks of general. The main color of the Police and Border Guard flag is blue, on the agency board the blue symbolices peace and stability. The main figure on the flag is a standing lion holding a national small coat of arms with its first pawns. The lions tongue and claws are red, the flag design is based on the Estonian police coat of arms
13.
Finnish Border Guard
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The Finnish Border guard is the national security agency responsible for enforcing the security of Finlands borders. The Border Guard has police and investigative powers in immigration matters, the Border Guard has search and rescue duties, both maritime and inland. The Guard operates SAR helicopters that are used in inland SAR, in assistance of a local fire. The border guards active duty personnel consists of 3,800 men and women, the Finnish Border Guard has also 500 conscripts who are not used for border control during peace time. The mobilized strength of the Border Guard is 12600 servicemen, the Finnish-Russian border is actively monitored and patrolled by the Border Guard. There is a separate Finnish Customs agency, and immigration is handled also by the local police, PTR cooperation is well-developed and allows the authorities to conduct each others duties as necessary. Main duties of the Finnish Border Guard, Protecting the land borders, passport control at border crossing points, airports and ports. First line of defence against territorial invasions Rescue operations, provide aid to other authorities such as the Fire Department in case of unusual events like wild fires. Investigation of crimes pertaining to border security, aiding Police forces in civil duties such as crowd control and riot control. Military operations pertaining to internal security, Customs control in the minor border crossing points without customs authorities. Training of conscripts for wartime duty, long range patrols and guerrilla tactics behind enemy lines. For the discharge of its duties, the Border Guard has limited powers in the areas where it operates. It can, for example, seize and arrest persons and conduct searches in apartments and cars pursuant to same legislation as the police, when investigating a crime. However, the power to arrest a person has been delegated only to the officers of a border control detachments. Border Guard helicopters have also used to assist police and rescue authorities in various missions. The Border Guard also has the power to keep order in its own facilities. For the execution of its military exercises, any officer with the rank of Captain can close an area temporarily. The Border Guard is responsible for enforcing the 3–5 km border zone towards Russia, administrative units are responsible for the functions of the Border Guard
14.
Hellenic Police
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The Hellenic Police is the national police service of Greece. It is a large agency with its responsibilities ranging from road traffic control to counter-terrorism. Its current chief is Police Lieutenant General Nikos Papagiannopoulos, the Hellenic Police force was established in 1984 under Law 1481/1-10-1984 as the result of the fusion of the Gendarmerie and the Cities Police forces. The Hellenic Police is constituted along central and regional lines, the force takes direction from the Minister for Citizen Protection. The force consists of officers, civilians, border guards. Equal in rank to the Head of Staff are the General Inspectors of Southern and Northern Greece, the Security and Order Branch is by far the most important, and includes the General Police Division, the Public Security Division and the State Security Division, among others. Greece is divided into two sectors for policing, both headed by an Inspector General and these sectors both contain several regions, headed by an Inspector General. It was at that time part of the army and under the authority of the Defence Ministry. The main task of the force under the army as a whole during this period was firstly to combat theft. The armys links to the police and the nature of the structure of the police force, largely the socio-political unrest that characterized the period including disproportionate poverty, governmental oppression, sporadic rebellions and political instability. In 1906 the Greek police force underwent its first major restructuring at an administrative level and it acquired its own educational and training facilities independent of those of the army. However, modernization of the force was stunted by the successive periods of political instability. The dictatorship of Ioannis Metaxas, compounded with both the Second World War and the Greek Civil War led to a retardation of reform throughout the late 1930s, after the fall of the Colonels the Greek Military Police was eventually disbanded and Greece became a Republic. Today the Greek Police assist in training various emerging Eastern European and African police forces, since 2012, the Hellenic Police is operating a website that it is providing useful informations to kids and parents using the Internet. A significant part of the training for officers of all posts, is the protection and safeguarding of the well-being of children, illegal immigration is also a problem as Greece remains both a destination and transit point for illegal immigrants, particularly from Albania. There has been an effort in recent years to step up the security procedures along Greeces borders, the issue of the recruitment of immigrants has also been brought up by opposition PASOK MPs in Parliament several times. Greece is also one of the few EU countries where there is a crime rate. Hellenic Police is a well structured agency with every unit that such an organisation can have
15.
State Border Guard
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The State Border Guard is the border guard of Latvia. The State Border Guard is an institution subordinated to the Minister of the Interior, the State Border Guard is an armed institution and it serves to ensure the security of the state border and to prevent illegal migration. Every day more than 2000 border guards and employees of the State Border Guard fulfil their duties of service, currently the State Border Guard comprises the Central Board, territorial boards, including the Aviation Board. The State Border Guard College is an institution of education under the authority of the State Border Guard. On November 18,1918 the People’s Council proclaiming independence of the Republic of Latvia as well declared temporary newly established state border, for the purposes of its protection on 7 November,1919 Jānis Balodis, Latvian Army Commander-in-Chief, issued an order to form border guard units. The activities of border guards were based on the border guarding provisional regulations of the People’s Council. On 8 November,1920 the Border Guard was renamed to the Border Guard Division, on 2 February,1922 the Cabinet decided to disembody the Border Guard Division and to assign border guarding functions to the Ministry of the Interior. On 10 March of the year the newly established Border Police took over the border guarding functions from the Border Guard Division. In 1935 the Cabinet adopted a Law on State Border Guarding, within the Ministry of the Interior on 6 April,1935 a separate military unit was created – the Border Guard Brigade, Ludvigs Bolšteins was appointed its Commander. On 3 October,1940 A. Noviks, People’s Commissar of Latvian SSR, signed an order on disbandment of the Border Guard Battalions, on 10 October,1940 the Border Guard Brigade of the Republic of Latvia was liquidated. On 20 December,1990 the Supreme Soviet adopted a Law “On State Border of the Republic of Latvia”, on 7 November,1991 the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the Republic of Latvia approved the Regulations on the Order of Taking the Oath of Latvian Republic’s Soldier. On 11 November,1991 the first border guards of restored Latvian Republic took soldier’s oath in “Brāļu Kapi” of Riga, when Latvia reinstated its independence in 1991 the State border was renewed. By the order of Defence Minister of 23 November,1995 the Border Guard Brigade of the National Armed Forces was reorganized into the Border Guard Forces. From 7 January,1997 the Border Guard Forces are existing under the subordination of the Ministry of the Interior, from 14 February,1997 the Border Guard Forces were renamed the Border Guard of the Ministry of the Interior. From 1 May,1998 the Border Guard named the State Border Guard, from 7 April,2009 General Normunds Garbars leads the State Border Guard. AgustaWestland AW109 Bell JetRanger List of national border guard agencies Media related to Border Guard of Latvia at Wikimedia Commons State Border Guard official website
16.
Lithuanian State Border Guard Service
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Since December 21,2007, Lithuania is part of the Schengen Area and SBGS, partner of Frontex, controls about 1,070 kilometres of Areas external land border with Kaliningrad Oblast and Belarus. Following the declaration of independence on February 16,1918, Lithuania had to ensure its border protection and this was a difficult task to fulfill, because the borders were changing, and the bodies protecting the border were changing as well. The formation of the first border regiment was started on 1 February 1920, on 26 January 1922, the Lithuanian defence minister, Jonas Šimkus, issued an order designating 29 June as Border Regiment Day. At that time, border regiments protected the border, and the State Border Police was formed in the Klaipėda Region on 18 June 1923. Later, border regiments, units of the Ministry of Defence, were disbanded, before the first Soviet occupation, the number of Lithuanian border police was not large,1,656 policemen in 1931 and 1,934 in 1933. This strength was maintained until June 1940 when the Soviet Union occupied Lithuania, after that, some border guards were subject to political persecution, the border police was disbanded, and the Red Army took control of the Lithuanian border with Nazi Germany. Near the end of World War II, the Soviets occupied Lithuania for the second time, throughout their rule, they protected only the Lithuanian border with the Peoples Republic of Poland. After Lithuania restored its independence on March 11,1990, it had to ensure the protection, by a resolution of 3 April 1990, the Supreme Council assigned the Council of Ministers the task of establishing the Department of Defence thus initiating the formation of new state border guards. On 10 September 1990, the Government adopted a resolution with a view to forming services at the Ministry of Defence that were to ensure the protection of the Lithuanian borders. On 10 October 1990, the Government adopted a resolution to establish 61 border posts and these posts were to begin operation by 19 November, but due to lack of resources and personnel not all of them operated as intended. On 19 May 1991, Gintaras Žagunis, an officer at the Krakūnai border crossing point at the Lithuania–Belarus border, was dead while on duty. On 31 July 1991, seven Lithuanian officers were killed in Medininkai border point, the only survivor, Tomas Šernas, became disabled. The attacks on Lithuanian border posts continued until the attempted August Coup in Moscow on 23 August 1991, the Ministry of Defence issued an order by which the Frontier Guard Service was renamed as the State Border Guard Service, starting 6 August 1992. When the last Soviet soldier left Lithuania on 31 August 1993, on 18 July 1994, the Government adopted a resolution that restructured the State Border Guard Service at the Ministry of Defence into the Border Police Department at the Ministry of the Interior. As during the period, guarding of the Lithuanian borders became the duty of a border police. After the system of border guarding was restored, the status of the state border had to be defined. The Treaty on Restoration of the State Border between Lithuania and Latvia was signed on 29 June 1993 and it required a considerable diplomatic effort to conclude and sign a treaty on the state border with Belarus on 6 February 1995. A similar treaty was signed with Poland the same year, the treaty on delimitation of the state border between Lithuania and the Russian Federation was signed during a summit in Moscow on 24 October 1997
17.
Norwegian Police Service
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The Norwegian Police Service is the Norwegian civilian police agency. It consists of a central National Police Directorate, seven specialty agencies, the government agency is subordinate to the Ministry of Justice and Public Security and has 13,000 employees, of which 8,000 are police officers. The police service dates to the 13th century when the first sheriffs were appointed, as the first city in Norway to do so, Trondheim had a chief of police appointed in 1686, and Oslo established a uniformed police corps in 1859. The directorate is led by National Police Commissioner Odd Reidar Humlegård, Police districts were introduced in 1894, with the current structure dating from 2003. Each police district is led by a chief of police and is subdivided into several police stations in towns and cities, the Governor of Svalbard acts as chief of police for Svalbard. Norwegian police officers do not carry firearms, but keep their Heckler & Koch MP5 submachine guns, the Norwegian Prosecuting Authority is partially integrated with the police. Several other national responsibilities are under the command of Oslo Police District, such as the Emergency Response Unit, the Police Security Service is separate from the National Police Directorate. The police force in Norway was established during the 13th century, originally the 60 to 80 sheriffs were predominantly used for writ of execution and to a less degree police power. In the cities the duties were taken care of by a gjaldker. The sheriffs were originally subordinate to the sysselmann, but from the 14th century they became subordinate to the bailiff. In the cities the police authority was transferred directly to the bailiff, by the mid-17th century there were between 300 and 350 sheriffs. With the introduction of the monarchy in 1660 and subsequent strengthening of the civil service. The bailiffs as such part of the police structure, with their superiors. The first titled chief of police was hired in Trondheim in 1686, thus creating the first police district, chiefs of police were hired in Bergen in 1692, Christiania in 1744 and Christianssand in 1776. From the 19th century, deputies were hired in larger areas to assist the sheriffs, following the democratization in 1814, the Ministry of Justice was created in 1818 and has since had the primary responsibility for organizing the police force. The 19th century saw an increase in the number of chiefs of police. Christiania established the countrys first uniformed corps of constables in 1859, similar structures were soon introduced in many other cities. From 1859 the municipalities would finance the wages of the deputies and constables, the first organized education of police officers started in Christiania in 1889
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Border Guard (Poland)
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The Polish Border Guard is a state security agency tasked with patrolling the Polish border. It existed in the Second Republic era from 1928 to 1939 and was reestablished in the modern-day Third Republic in 1990, during the communist era lasting from 1945 to 1989, the role of the border guard was carried out by the Border Guard Army. The Straż Graniczna was founded in 1928, during the times of the Second Polish Republic, it was responsible for northern, western and southern border of Poland. Eastern border, often raided by military bands supported by Soviet Union was under the jurisdiction of a separate and it was controlled by the Ministry of Treasury, Ministry of Internal Affairs, and Ministry of Military Affairs. The highest level of structure of the agency was Main Headquarters. It was followed by Regional Inspectorates, Border Inspectorates, stations and it carried out actions through patrols, manning border checkpoints, tracking, rouses and intelligence work. It had its own river and sea flotilla, intelligence academy, and the Main School of Border Guard, the school had a department of training of guard dogs, also located in Rawa Ruska. Each station of the agency was responsible for some 20 to 25 kilometers of the borderline, the stations oversaw posts of the first line and posts of the second line. In 1938, there were 129 stations of the Border Guard,419 posts of the first line, agency of the Customs Inspectorate of the Free City of Gdańsk. Furthermore, every station of the Border Guard was strengthened with a platoon of the Polish Army, members of Straż Graniczna, under General Walerian Czuma, participated in the Second World War, fighting in the Polish Army during the Invasion of Poland. Straż Graniczna has been reestablished in the Third Polish Republic as a civil, police-type service, with the act of 12 October 1990 and began operations on 16 May 1991. From 1 May 2004, the day Poland became a member of the European Union, Straż Graniczna performs its responsibility to guard, Walerian Czuma (1938 Border Protection Corps Straż Graniczna Homepage in Polish
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Law enforcement in Slovakia
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Law enforcement in Slovakia is divided among various agencies under the Slovak ministries of Interior, Justice, Traffic, Defense, Finance and local governments within the Republic. Civil policing responsibilities are shared between the state and local level, in addition to the Slovak police Force, various police forces exist. Other forces include the police, railway police, finance police. In 2010, the Slovak police established for the first time plans for different criminal areas, in October 2011, police President Jaroslav Spišiak and Minister of Interior Daniel Lipšic announced that Slovak police are satisfied with the plans at 104. 93%. Armed men protecting the railways were established in 1935, their functioning was regulated by the Law No, 86/1937 Zb from the year 1937, which also established the Armed guards units of the railways. Later, in the 1950s, Public Security at the Railways was created, 51/1964 Zb. established the Units of Armed and Fire protection of the Railways in 1964. In 1967, under the OPOŽ units, an independent investigation service was established by Law No, after the fall of communism in 1989, federal power ceased over the protection of the railway system in 1992. Z from the year 1993 created a separate Slovak Railway Police by transforming part of the Federal Railway Police, in 1998 the National Council of the Slovak Republic approved Law No. 57/1998 Z. z. by which the Railway Police was governed, on 14 February 2008 the former law was amended with Law No. 86/2008 Z. z. this change established the structures of the Toll Police within the Railway Police, in 2010, the National Council of the Slovak Republic amended the Railway Police Law again by approving Law No. 60/2010 Z. z. moving the structures of the Toll Police within the Slovak Police Force, previously administered by the Ministry of Transport, Post and Telecommunications, since 2009 the Railway Police is administered by the Ministry of Interior. Some of the unique Railway Police competences were absorbed by the Police Force as well, Slovakia features numerous special forces units, universally referred to as kukláči by the Slovak media and the public. In communist Czechoslovakia the URN units were responsible for counter-terrorism and apprehending dangerous criminals, URN members were picked from across the country. After the creation of independent Slovakia in 1993, Slovak members of URN were relocated into newly created special forces in Slovakia
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Civil Guard (Spain)
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The Guardia Civil is the oldest law enforcement agency in Spain. It is organised as a military force charged with police duties under the authority of both the Ministry of the Interior and the Ministry of Defence, the corps is colloquially known as the benemérita. In annual surveys, it ranks as the national institution most valued by Spaniards, closely followed by other law enforcement agencies. It has both a national role and undertakes specific foreign peace-keeping missions. As part of its duties, the Guardia Civil patrols rural areas and investigates crimes there. Most cities also have a Policia Municipal, the three forces are nationally coordinated by the Ministry of the Interior. The Guardia Civil is usually stationed at casas cuartel, which are both minor residential garrisons and fully equipped police stations, formerly, law enforcement had been the responsibility of the Holy Brotherhood, an organization of municipal leagues. Corruption was pervasive in the Brotherhood, where officials were subject to local political influence. Criminals could often escape justice by moving from one district to another. The first Guardia police academy was established in the town of Valdemoro, south of Madrid, graduates were given the Guardias now famous tricorne or Cavaliers hat as part of their duty dress uniform. Banditry in this region was so endemic that the Guardia found it difficult to completely eradicate, should he resist, he is instantly disembowelled with the dexterous thrust of a knife. Wears a profusion of amulets and charms. all of undoubted efficacy against the dagger of an adversary or the rifle of a Civil Guard. During the Spanish Civil War, the Guardia Civil forces split almost evenly between those who remained loyal to the Republic, 53% of the members and the rebel forces, however, the highest authority of the corps, Inspector General Sebastián Pozas, remained loyal to the republican government. After being court-martialed General José Aranguren was given the penalty and was summarily executed on 22 April in the same year. Today, the Guardia Civil is a police force subject to the checks and it is the largest police force in Spain, in terms of area served. They also served with the Spanish armed forces contingent in the war in Iraq, mainly as military police but also in intelligence gathering, in addition to el instituto armado, the Guardia Civil is known as la benemérita. They served in the Spanish colonies, including Cuba, Puerto Rico, the Guardia Civil has a sister force in Costa Rica also called the Guardia Civil. The Costa Rican guardias often train at the academy as regular Spanish officers
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Customs Surveillance Service
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The origin of the service goes back to the creation of a paramilitary organization to protect the monopoly of tobacco of the Tabacalera, a Spanish tobacco monopoly which was established in 1636. Recent history of the service begins in 1944 with the creation of the Servicio Especial de Vigilancia Marítima y Terrestre de Tabacalera S. A. charged of preventing the tobacco contraband. The most common duties of the SVA are regulated by the Royal Decree 319/1982 and those are the investigation, discovery and prosecution of contraband violations throughout the nation, territorial waters and airspace. The SVA cooperates with international and European organizations such as the European Anti-Fraud Office, the Deputy Directorate of Customs Surveillance is integrated into the Department of Customs and Special Taxes of the Internal Revenue Agency of the Ministry of Economy and Finance. The customs headquarters is in Madrid, the maritime component of the Customs Surveillance Service is one of the largest employed by the Spanish Government with approximately 90 vessels in service. The maritime units of the service are classed as Spanish Navy Auxiliary vessels, Special Operations ships,2 Ships for Special Operations and counterdrug patrols. These ships have both a helicopter deck, Long Range Interceptors and Deployable Pursuit Boats, detention cells. High Endurance ships,18 of different classes, medium Endurance ships and High Speed Interception boats,24 different classes. Depending of which class they are they carry Deployable Pursuit Boats, others, including Rigid Inflatable Boats, boats seized from smugglers and used by the service, etc. Most of the vehicles used are unmarked while some of them are marked and they also are equipped with mobile scanners for non-intrusive inspections. Investigation units have special equipment to accomplish their missions like thermal cameras, interceptions devices, Spanish Customs Agents are armed with the 9mm Heckler & Koch USP Compact pistols and Heckler & Koch MP5 submachine guns. Also 7. 62mm MG3 and.50 caliber M2 machine guns are mounted on vessels, crime in Spain Official web site of the Spanish internal revenue agency Official EU web site dedicated to the European Customs Naval World On-Line web Customs Surveillance Service equipment
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Coast guard
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A coast guard or coastguard is a maritime security organization of a particular country. However, a typical coast guards functions are distinct from typical functions of both the navy and a transportation police, at the time, due to high UK taxation on liquors such as brandy, and on tobacco, etc. The Coastguard was, however, also responsible for giving assistance to shipwrecks, each Waterguard station was issued with a Manby mortar, which had been invented by Captain George William Manby in 1808. The mortar fired a shot with a line attached from the shore to the ship and was used for many years. This began the process through which the Coastguard assumed a life saving role, in 1821 a committee of inquiry recommended that responsibility for the Preventative Waterguard be transferred to the Board of Customs. In 1845 the Coastguard was subordinated to the Admiralty, in 1829 the first UK Coastguard instructions were published and dealt with discipline and directions for carrying out preventative duties. They also stipulated that, when a wreck took place, the Coastguard was responsible for taking all possible action to save lives, to charge of the vessel. In the United States, the United States Coast Guard was created in 1915 by the merger of two federal agencies. The first, the United States Revenue Cutter Service, was a maritime customs enforcement agency that also assumed a role to the United States Navy in wartime. The second, the United States Life-Saving Service, was formed in 1848, the Coast Guard later absorbed the United States Lighthouse Service and the Bureau of Navigation and Steamboat Inspection. Among the responsibilities that may be entrusted to a coast guard service are, search and rescue, enforcement of law, safety of vessels, maintenance of seamarks. The Coast Guard may, varying by jurisdiction, be part of a countrys military, most coast guards operate ships and aircraft including helicopters and seaplanes that are either owned or leased by the agency in order to fulfil their respective roles. Some coast guards, such as the Irish Coast Guard, have only a limited law enforcement role, usually in enforcing maritime safety law. It therefore fulfills the functions of other countries coast guards, and furthermore acts as a gendarmerie force policing navigable rivers and they belonged to the Ministry of Defence until the 1980s, and the corps´ highest official was a Navy rear-admiral. They have since transferred to the Ministry of Interior and, more recently. However, in case of armed conflict, they can be put under Navy´s command, while having 19,650 kilometres of coastline, the Commonwealth of Australia does not have a force purely to defend its coast. The duty of patrolling its coastline falls to the Royal Australian Navy, the Australian Border Force, in addition, there are several private volunteer coast guard organizations, the two largest organizations being the Royal Volunteer Coastal Patrol and the Australian Volunteer Coast Guard. These volunteer organizations have no law enforcement powers, and are essentially auxiliary Search, in NSW these two organisations have joined to become Marine Rescue in 2009
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Maritime Gendarmerie
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The Maritime Gendarmerie is a component of the French National Gendarmerie under operational control of the chief of staff of the French Navy. It employs 1,100 personnel and operates around thirty patrol boats, like their land-based colleagues the Gendarmes Maritime are military personnel carry out policing operations in addition to their primary role as a coast guard service. They also carry out provost duties within the French Navy, the uniforms and insignia of the Gendarmerie Maritime are very similar to those of the French Navy, but the ranks used are those of the rest of the Gendarmerie. The mission of the Maritime Gendarmerie is as follows, Maritime safety and of police force duties in the territorial waters and EEZ. Criminal Investigation Department under the authority of public prosecutor, protection of the naval shore establishments. The Maritime Gendarmerie is commanded by a colonel who is assisted by a staff located in Paris
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German Federal Coast Guard
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The Küstenwache is an association of several federal agencies, not a single entity like the United States Coast Guard. The agencies that make up the Küstenwache have a plan of action. Küstenwache personnel do not have combatant status as it is not a unit as other coast guards are. In contrast, the United States Coast Guard is both a service and a law enforcement organisation and its commissioned officers have both police and military powers. However, police officers serving with the Küstenwache retain their usual police powers, a total of 27 ships and boats from the aforementioned institutions are in operation. The ships are all marked with the legend Küstenwache as well as a black-red-gold signet on the hull, however, the hull colour differs from agency to agency, blue for the Bundespolizei, green for the Wasserzoll and black for the WSV and BLE. A number of helicopters and planes are in use as well
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Hellenic Coast Guard
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The Hellenic Coast Guard is the national coast guard of Greece. Like many other coast guards, it is a organization that can support the Hellenic Navy in wartime. It was founded in 1919 by an Act of Parliament and the framework for its function was reformed in 1927. The current name is specified in Law 3022/2011, the Hellenic Coast Guard Force is currently under the authority of the Ministry of Shipping and Island Policy. The Hellenic Coast Guard Force is headed by the Senior Coast Guard Officer who has the rank of Vice Admiral, in order to perform these roles, the Coast Guard operate a number of patrol boats of various sizes and different types. On land the Hellenic Coast Guard is equipped with cars and motorcycles, the Hellenic Coast Guard operates the Maritime Rescue Coordination Center in Piraeus and the Emergency Radio Communications Station SXE at Aspropyrgos. The Hellenic Coast Guard also operates the Vessel Traffic Service at busy sea lanes, currently around the ports of Piraeus, Elefsis, Lavrion, the main activities of the Hellenic Coast Guard are defined in the present legislation and specified within its institutional framework of operation. These activities are the following, Law enforcement at sea, ports, surveillance of the sea, shipping, ports and borders. Protection of the environment and response to marine pollution incidents. Provision of emergency maritime radio communication services, representation of Greece in international organizations and the European Commission in matters related to these roles. Most officers in recent years are graduates from higher education establishments, after recruitment new officers study for one year at the Hellenic Naval Academy. Petty officers are trained for nine months at Palaskas Naval Training Centre, with law Law 4029 of 2011, a volunteer Auxiliary Coast Guard was established. The Officers of the Hellenic Coast Guard have the ranks as the Officers of the Hellenic Navy and similar insignia. The Petty Officers also use rank insignia similar to those of the Hellenic Navy, in addition the Hellenic Coast Guard operates a large number of fast Rigid-Inflatable Boat /Special Forces vessels as well as eleven Lifeboats. Currently the Hellenic Coast Guard fleet in its totality consists of approximately 240 vessels of all types, the Hellenic Coast Guard operates a small fleet of fixed wing aircraft based at Tatoi Air Base. Its four AS332 Super Puma Search and Rescue helicopters are operated by the Hellenic Air Force 384 Squadron, based at Elefsis Air Base, with mixed Air Force and Coast Guard crews
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Icelandic Coast Guard
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The Icelandic Coast Guard is the service responsible for Icelands coastal defense and maritime and aeronautical search and rescue. Its origins can be traced to 1859, when the corvette Ørnen started patrolling Icelandic waters, in 1906, Icelands first purposely built guard-ship, Islands Falk, began operation. Icelands own defense of its territorial waters began around 1920 and the Icelandic Coast Guard was formally founded on July 1,1926. The first cannon was put on the trawler Thor in 1924 and on June 23,1926 the first ship built for the Coast Guard, named Óðinn, three years later, on the 14 July 1929 the coastal defence ship Ægir was added to the Coast Guard fleet. The Coast Guard also maintains the Iceland Air Defence System which conducts ground surveillance of Icelands air space, the Icelandic Coast Guard also occasionally operates within Greenlandic and Faeroese waters, following a bilateral agreement with Denmark regarding mutual aid in security, rescue and defence matters. The Coast Guard accomplishes these tasks with the use of patrol vessels, helicopters, surveillance aircraft, satellites. The Icelandic Coast Guard is also in charge of the Iceland Air Defence System, which operates four ground-based AN/FPS-117v5 air surveillance radars and a control and command centre. The Coast Guard has also taken part in Peacekeeping Operations on behalf of the Icelandic Crisis Response Unit, although while usually using their own insignia, uniforms. The fleet also takes part in Frontex operations, and in that role ICGV Týr played a part in the rescue of over 300 Syrian refugees in the eastern Mediterranean Sea in January 2015. In 2011 the Coast Guard received the new ICGV Thor built by the Asmar shipyard in Talcahuano, ICGV Týr, an Ægir-class, is the second youngest, built by Århus Flydedok a/s and launched in 1975. ICGV Ægir an Ægir-class is ICGV Týrs sister-ship, built by Ålborg Værft a/s, each ship is equipped with two or more rigid inflatable boats of various sizes and armed with a 40 mm Bofors cannon. Various kinds of small-arms as well as other man portable weapons are also carried onboard each of the ships, Týr and Thor are also equipped with sonar systems and the Ægir class sisterships have flight decks and a hangar for a small helicopter. While the Coast Guard currently doesnt operate small enough helicopters to use the hangars, the coast guard has as well a 73-ton patrol and hydrographic survey vessel, named Baldur, built by Vélsmiðja Seyðisfjarðar shipyard in 1991. This vessel has no mounted weaponry but it has nonetheless been used for port security, the Coast Guards Aeronautical Division was founded on December 10,1955 when a Consolidated PBY-6A Catalina flying boat was acquired. It was originally from the Iceland Defense Force but was damaged near Langanes in 1954 and it was registered as TF-RAN and nicknamed Rán. Currently the Icelandic Coast Guard operates three Aerospatiale AS-332L1 Super Puma helicopters, which are registered as TF-LIF, TF-SYN and TF-GNA, the Coast Guard also operates a single Bombardier DHC-8-Q314, registered as TF-SIF, modified for maritime surveillance and reconnaissance. This plane has been modified by FIELD to carry a modern Mission Management System and suite of surveillance sensors, air operable door. It is occasionally used for surveillance of volcanic eruptions, e. g. of Eyjafjallajökull in 2010
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Latvian Naval Forces
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Latvian Naval Forces is a branch of the National Armed Forces tasked with conducting military and rescue operations at sea. The NF perform mine and explosive sweeping on the Baltic Sea, as well as search and rescue operations, the Naval Forces have participated in international NATO/Partnership for Peace operations and various exercises with great success. The main development priorities of the NF are to expand their activities within the Baltic States’ Ship Squadron BALTRON and they pay a great deal of attention to professionally specialized training and English-language teaching. One of the key tasks facing the NF is to develop its infrastructure, when Latvia regained its independence in 1991, it began recreating the Latvian Naval Forces under the command of Admiral Gaidis Zeibots. In 1994 the Naval Forces were composed of the Southern Region, the Central Region, the Coastal Defense Battalion and the Training Center. The most important naval event of early days of the re-established Latvian Republic occurred on April 11,1991 when the Latvian flag was hoisted on the re-established Navys first ship SAMS. This date is now recognized as the rebirth of the Latvian Naval Forces, in 1999 the Baltic Naval Squadron was created with ships from the Lithuanian, Latvian and Estonian Navies. Latvian Navy Captain Ilmars Lesinskis, then the Commander of the Southern District, was appointed to serve as the first commander of this multi-national force, on July 1,1999 Latvian Naval Forces were reorganized. On July 1,2004 Latvian Naval Forces were reorganized again and since that time they consist of the Naval Forces Headquarters, Naval Forces Flotilla HQ with subunits, and the Coast Guard Service. The new structure make possible to organize training and specialization better than before. As part of the program to equip the Naval Forces with modern assets, warships of the Republic of Latvia have repeatedly made visits to foreign countries and have supported the visits of foreign warships and naval representatives in Latvia. The warships of the Latvian Naval Forces Southern Region have participated in international exercises. These exercises have been conducted to NATO standards, which Latvian ships have successfully met
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Maritime Squadron of the Armed Forces of Malta
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The Maritime Squadron of the Armed Forces of Malta is the naval component of the current Maltese military. The Maritime Squadron has responsibility for the security of Maltese territorial waters, maritime surveillance and law enforcement, as well as search and it is based at Hay Wharf in Floriana. The Maritime Squadron was established in November 1970 as the Maritime Troop of the Malta Land Force and it was a powerful navy with ships such as the Santa Anna. The Order participated in various naval exploits against the Ottoman Empire while based in Malta, most notably the Battle of Lepanto of 1571, in the 17th and early 18th centuries Maltese vessels also went for corsairing expeditions against Muslim ships. Eventually corsairing decreased and the Order was weak and bankrupt, so there was little resistance when Napoleon landed on Malta in 1798. The Orders navy, including the ships of the line San Zaccharia and San Giovanni, was integrated into the French navy, soon after the British occupied the island, the Mediterranean Fleet of the Royal Navy transferred its base to Malta. Malta became a hub of activity due to its harbours and strategic position. The Mediterranean Fleet was disbanded in 1967, and three years later Maltas first naval force appeared after over 150 years. The Maritime Troop of the Malta Land Force was established in November 1970, in July 1971 the force was renamed 1st Battery of the Malta Land Force and was based in Senglea. In the 1970s, the number of patrol boats increased as West Germany, in 1973 a vessel built at the Malta Drydocks for the Customs Department was taken over by the Maritime Battery. In 1977, the Battery moved to its present base at Hay Wharf, in 1978, the British gave Malta two search and rescue launches, and in 1979 they left Malta completely, handing over all their former responsibilities to the Battery. On 1 April 1980 it was renamed Maritime Squadron of the Armed Forces of Malta, in the 1980s and 1990s, Yugoslavia, the United States, Italy gave more vessels to Malta. Malta purchased patrol boats for the first time in 1992, when former East German minesweepers, the Swift, Kondor and Bremse classes from the 1960s and 1970s were all decommissioned between 2004 and 2012 as new vessels replaced them. It was commissioned into the AFM on 28 June 2015 as P62, a new base for the Maritime Squadron is currently being built, also at Hay Wharf. The worst peacetime tragedy suffered by the AFM occurred on 7 September 1984, the Swift-class patrol boat C23 was dumping some illegally manufactured fireworks off Qala when the fireworks went off probably due to a spark caused when a hatch was closed. The only person to survive the explosion was Private Emmanuel Montesin,21 of Paola, the day after, the men were given a state funeral and a day of national mourning was declared. From that day on, fireworks have no longer carried on patrol boats. The patrol boat was repaired and reentered service, later being renamed P23, memorial services were held in 2004 and 2009, the 20th and 25th anniversaries of the tragedy
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Netherlands Coastguard
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The Netherlands Coastguard is a national organisation responsible for services along the Netherlands coast line. The Netherlands Coastguard Service carries out duties for seven governmental ministries, the Royal Netherlands Navy has operational command of the Netherlands Coastguard Service. Caribbean Coastguard Netherlands Coastguard Coastguard Ministry of Defence official website
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Norwegian Coast Guard
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The Norwegian Coast Guard is a maritime military force which is part of the Royal Norwegian Navy. The coast guards responsibility are for fisheries inspection, customs enforcement, border control, law enforcement, shipping inspection, environmental protection and it operates throughout Norways 2,385, 178-square-kilometer exclusive economic zone, internal waters and territorial waters. It is headquartered at Sortland Naval Base, in 2013 the Coast Guard had 370 employees, including conscripts, and a budget of 1.0 billion Norwegian krone. The force is subdivided into three main divisions, the Outer Coast Guard covers the EEZ and consists of three Nordkapp-class offshore patrol vessels, three Barentshav-class offshore patrol vessels as well as Ålesund, Svalbard and Harstad. The Inner Coast Guard consists of five Nornen-class patrol vessels and one Reine-class patrol vessel, the Coast Guard has air support of the P-3 Orion patrol aircraft and Westland Lynx helicopters, both operated by the Royal Norwegian Air Force. The Westland Lynx is being phased out in Norwegian service, the Coast Guard has its basis in the defunct Fisheries Surveillance Service, which was established in 1908. It was a military and civilian operation, it leased fishing vessels during the season to supplement larger navy vessels. This was converted into the Military Fisheries Surveillance in 1961, the Coast Guard was established on 1 April 1977, the same year as Norway delineated its EEZ. The restructuring led to the delivery of the Nordkapp-class and the Lynx helicopters, the Inner Coast Guard was established in 1996. The Coast Guard has participated in the 1990–91 Gulf War and the 2014 destruction of Syrias chemical weapons, the Coast Guards main task is to assert and uphold Norwegian sovereignty over its inland waters, territorial waters and exclusive economic zone. Its structure is centered around a peace-time role, with basis in the Coast Guard Act of 1997. It states that the authority of the Coast Guard lies with the agency responsible for a situation. However, the Coast Guard also holds a series of independent capabilities in which it can take action without external instruction, the act also grants the Coast Guard law enforcement jurisdiction in given circumstances. The Coast Guard is centered around providing services to a range of public agencies and this grants the Coast Guard a series of control rights including customs and border control for the Schengen Area. The most extensive work is carried out in relation to fisheries and this involves both inspection and assistance. Offshore vessels also feature equipment to oil spills. The Coast Guard is one of many agencies which can be called upon for search, all such activity is either coordinated by the operations center of the respective police district, or by the Joint Rescue Coordination Centers in Southern Norway and Northern Norway, respectively. The Norwegian Coast Guard is a formation within the Royal Norwegian Navy and it is led by the Inspector of the Norwegian Coast Guard, who is subordinate to the Inspector General of the Royal Norwegian Navy
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Swedish Coast Guard
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The Swedish Coast Guard is a Swedish civilian government agency tasked with, maritime surveillance and other control and inspection tasks as well as environmental cleanup after oil spills at sea. Co-ordinate the civilian needs for maritime surveillance and maritime information, the Swedish Coast Guard carries out some of its surveillance by air, and in the winter-time by hovercraft on the ice-covered waters of the Bothnian Bay from its Luleå station. The Coast Guard also has regular maritime duties in Vänern, Europes third largest lake, the Coast Guard has 26 coastal stations, including an aviation coastal station. The stations fall under four regional areas, North, East, West and South, with the headquarters located in Härnösand, Stockholm, Gothenburg. Four management centers control the operational activities and there is also at least one duty officer around the clock. The Coast Guards central headquarters is located in the historic 17th century naval city of Karlskrona, the total number of Coast Guard employees across the country amounts to around 800. Neither Coast Guard ships or officers carry military weapons, instead each officer is equipped with Glock 17, ASP baton, OC spray and handcuffs. The Coast Guard currently has 22 surveillance craft which are used mainly for patrolling with some also given oil spill response capacity, the Coast Guard currently has 12 environmental protection vessels primarily used for oil spill response, and secondly for patrolling. The Coast Guard currently has nine ships which combine the characteristics of both environmental protection vessels and surveillance craft, KBV001, KBV002, KBV003, KBV031, KBV032, KBV033, KBV034, KBV201 and KBV202. The Coast Guard hoperates five hovercraft mainly in northern Sweden where they can travel over both ice, water and land. KBV593 based in Luleå, KBV592 based in Umeå, KBV591 based in Örnsköldsvik, KBV594 KBV based in Vaxholm, the Coast Guard maintains one large barge, KBV866 in Härnösand, used for the storage of the absorbed oil. The Coast Guard currently has over 100 boats, some boats are used as a complement to larger ships, while others operate as separate entities. The boats are divided into four groups, High Speed/Go Fast, rib-boats, dinghies, the Coast Guard has replaced its CASA C. 212s with three new Bombardier Dash 8 Q-300 aircraft numbered KBV501,502 and 503rd. The new DASH8 Maritime Surveillance Aircraft currently were modified by Field Aviation in Toronto, Coast Guard Aviation Home base is Skavsta Airport in Nyköping. Surveillance and reconnaissance flights are conducted along the Swedish coast and Vänern and lake year round, additional regular international assignments are also flown as needed. The division operate their flights as VFR and use VFR flight rules throughout the majority of their flights, some flights however, either operating/ferrying internationally or for longer distances fly using IFR rules. On October 26,2006 a Swedish Coast Guard CASA 212-200 crashed in the Falsterbo Canal during a surveillance mission, full article,2006 Falsterbo Swedish Coast Guard crash Swedish Armed Forces Swedish Maritime Administration Swedish National Board of Fisheries Swedish Coast Guard – official website
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Schengen Area
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The Schengen Area is an area comprising 26 European states that have officially abolished passport and any other type of border control at their mutual borders. The area mostly functions as a country for international travel purposes. The area is named after the Schengen Agreement, States in the Schengen Area have eliminated border controls with other Schengen members and strengthened border controls with non-Schengen countries. Twenty-two of the twenty-eight European Union member states participate in the Schengen Area, three European microstates – Monaco, San Marino, and Vatican City – can be considered de facto participants. The Schengen Area has a population of over 400 million people, as a result of the migration crisis ongoing as of early 2017, Austria, Denmark, Germany, Norway and Sweden temporarily imposed controls on some or all of their borders with other Schengen states. Following the November 2015 Paris attacks and subsequent attacks in France, France declared a state of emergency, the Schengen Agreement was signed on 14 June 1985 by five of the ten EEC member states in the town of Schengen, Luxembourg. The Schengen Area was established separately from the European Economic Community, in 1990 the Agreement was supplemented by the Schengen Convention, which proposed the abolition of internal border controls and a common visa policy. The Agreements and the rules adopted under them were separate from the EC structures. As more EU member states signed the Schengen Agreement, consensus was reached on absorbing it into the procedures of the EU, the Agreement and its related conventions were incorporated into the mainstream of European Union law by the Amsterdam Treaty in 1997, which came into effect in 1999. A consequence of the Agreement being part of European law is that any amendment and regulation is made within its processes, in which the non-EU members are not participants. The UK and Ireland have maintained a Common Travel Area since 1923, but beyond this the UK could not accept abolishing border controls, and were given a full opt-out from the area. While not signing the Schengen Treaty, Ireland has always looked more favourably on joining but has not done so to maintain the CTA, the Nordic members required Norway and Iceland to be included, which was accepted, and so a consensus could be reached. The Schengen Area consists of 26 states, including four which are not members of the European Union, two of the non-EU members, Iceland and Norway, are part of the Nordic Passport Union and are officially classified as states associated with the Schengen activities of the EU. Switzerland was subsequently allowed to participate in the manner in 2008. Liechtenstein joined the Schengen Area on 19 December 2011, de facto, the Schengen Area also includes three European micro-states – Monaco, San Marino and the Vatican City – that maintain open or semi-open borders with other Schengen member countries. Two EU members – Ireland and the United Kingdom – negotiated opt-outs from Schengen, the remaining four EU member states – Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus and Romania – are obliged to eventually join the Schengen Area. However, before implementing the Schengen rules, each state must have its preparedness assessed in four areas, air borders, visas, police cooperation. This evaluation process involves a questionnaire and visits by EU experts to selected institutions, the only land borders with border controls between EU/EEA members, are those of Bulgaria, Croatia and Romania, and the one at Gibraltar and those at the Channel Tunnel
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Hungary
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Hungary is a unitary parliamentary republic in Central Europe. With about 10 million inhabitants, Hungary is a member state of the European Union. The official language is Hungarian, which is the most widely spoken language in Europe. Hungarys capital and largest metropolis is Budapest, a significant economic hub, major urban areas include Debrecen, Szeged, Miskolc, Pécs and Győr. His great-grandson Stephen I ascended to the throne in 1000, converting the country to a Christian kingdom, by the 12th century, Hungary became a middle power within the Western world, reaching a golden age by the 15th century. Hungarys current borders were established in 1920 by the Treaty of Trianon after World War I, when the country lost 71% of its territory, 58% of its population, following the interwar period, Hungary joined the Axis Powers in World War II, suffering significant damage and casualties. Hungary became a state of the Soviet Union, which contributed to the establishment of a four-decade-long communist dictatorship. On 23 October 1989, Hungary became again a democratic parliamentary republic, in the 21st century, Hungary is a middle power and has the worlds 57th largest economy by nominal GDP, as well as the 58th largest by PPP, out of 188 countries measured by the IMF. As a substantial actor in several industrial and technological sectors, it is both the worlds 36th largest exporter and importer of goods, Hungary is a high-income economy with a very high standard of living. It keeps up a security and universal health care system. Hungary joined the European Union in 2004 and part of the Schengen Area since 2007, Hungary is a member of the United Nations, NATO, WTO, World Bank, the AIIB, the Council of Europe and Visegrád Group. Well known for its cultural history, Hungary has been contributed significantly to arts, music, literature, sports and science. Hungary is the 11th most popular country as a tourist destination in Europe and it is home to the largest thermal water cave system, the second largest thermal lake in the world, the largest lake in Central Europe, and the largest natural grasslands in Europe. The H in the name of Hungary is most likely due to historical associations with the Huns. The rest of the word comes from the Latinized form of Medieval Greek Oungroi, according to an explanation the Greek name was borrowed from Proto-Slavic Ǫgǔri, in turn borrowed from Oghur-Turkic Onogur. Onogur was the name for the tribes who later joined the Bulgar tribal confederacy that ruled the eastern parts of Hungary after the Avars. The Hungarians likely belonged to the Onogur tribal alliance and it is possible they became its ethnic majority. The Hungarian endonym is Magyarország, composed of magyar and ország, the word magyar is taken from the name of one of the seven major semi-nomadic Hungarian tribes, magyeri
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History of Hungary
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For the history of the area before this period, see Pannonian basin before Hungary. The oldest archaeological site in Hungary is Vértesszőlős, where palaeolithic Oldowan pebble tools, the Roman Empire conquered territory west of the Danube River between 35 and 9 BC. From 9 BC to the end of the 4th century AD, Pannonia, among the first to arrive were the Huns, who built up a powerful empire under Attila the Hun in 435 AD. Attila was regarded in past centuries as a ruler of the Hungarians. They entered what is now Hungary in the 7th century AD, the Avar Khaganate was weakened by constant wars and outside pressure, and the Franks under Charlemagne managed to defeat the Avars to end their 250-year rule. Árpád was the leader who unified the Magyar tribes via the Covenant of Blood and he led the new nation to the Carpathian Basin in the 9th century. Between 895 and 902 the whole area of the Carpathian Basin was conquered by the Hungarians, an early Hungarian state was formed in this territory in 895. The military power of the nation allowed the Hungarians to conduct successful fierce campaigns, Prince Géza of the Árpád dynasty, who ruled only part of the united territory, was the nominal overlord of all seven Magyar tribes. He aimed to integrate Hungary into Christian Western Europe by rebuilding the state according to the Western political and social models, Géza established a dynasty by naming his son Vajk as his successor. This decision was contrary to the dominant tradition of the time to have the eldest surviving member of the ruling family succeed the incumbent. By ancestral right, Prince Koppány, the oldest member of the dynasty, should have claimed the throne, Koppány did not relinquish his ancestral rights without a fight. After Gézas death in 997, Koppány took up arms, the rebels claimed to represent the old political order, ancient human rights, tribal independence and pagan belief. Stephen won a victory over his uncle Koppány and had him executed. Hungary was recognized as a Catholic Apostolic Kingdom under Saint Stephen I, Stephen was the son of Géza and thus a descendant of Árpád. Stephen was crowned with the Holy Crown of Hungary in the first day of 1000 AD in the city of Esztergom. Pope Sylvester II conferred on him the right to have the cross carried before him, with full authority over bishoprics. By 1006, Stephen had solidified his power by eliminating all rivals who either wanted to follow the old traditions or wanted an alliance with the Eastern Christian Byzantine Empire. Then he initiated sweeping reforms to convert Hungary into a feudal state, complete with forced Christianization
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History of Christianity in Hungary
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The history of Christianity in Hungary began in the Roman province of Pannonia where the presence of Christian communities is first attested in the 3rd century. Accordingly, Christianity had existed in the territory of Hungary before the Hungarians settled there around 900 AD. The reception of Christianity was enforced by legislation in the reign of Gézas son, although some tenets of pagan belief were incorporated into the Christian vocabulary of the Hungarian language, nearly all the basic words of its religious terminology are of Slavic origin. The earliest religious texts written in vernacular survived from the end of the 12th century, the multiethnic Kingdom of Hungary emerged on the frontier of the Roman Catholic, Orthodox, and pagan worlds. Thus Hungarian monarchs frequently assisted the Papacy in its efforts to expand the borders of Catholicism by waging wars against their countrys pagan, schismatic, Protestant ideas, namely Lutheranism, started to spread in the German-speaking towns in the 1520s. Despite Lutheranisms initial success, the majority of the population adhered to the more radical theology of Calvinism by the second half of the century. The idea of freedom of religion was also first enacted in this period by the Decree of Torda of 1568, the equal status of the received denominations – the Roman Catholic, Greek Catholic, Reformed, Evangelical, Orthodox, and Unitarian Churches – was first declared in 1848. Although in 1947 all discrimination against other denominations was abolished, Church activities soon became subject to state supervision due to the introduction of the Communist regime, following the regimes fall, state interference in Church affairs ceased by the passage of a new law concerning religion in 1990. Transdanubia, the territory of modern Hungary west of the river Danube, similarly to other parts of the Roman Empire, most altars in the province were dedicated to Jupiter, who in this respect was followed by Silvanus. Aquincum became an important center of the cult of Mithras in the region, local Christian communities were first attested in 303 when Bishop Quirinus of Sescia was executed in Savaria under the Diocletianic Persecution. The new faith struck firm roots after its position had been consolidated throughout the Roman Empire in 313, the large Christian necropolises in Sopianae and Savaria are dated to this period. However, due to invasions, refugees from Pannonia started to arrive in other parts of the Roman Empire from the early 5th century. Among these displaced peoples were the inhabitants of Scarbantia who fled to Italy taking Saint Quirinuss relics with them, Martin of Tours, the patron saint of France, was also born in Pannonia. The towns of the province were ruined around 430 by the Huns, thereafter parts of the former province were controlled by the Ostrogoths, while the Gepids established themselves east of the river Tisza. A tablet of lead from this period discovered at Hács bore the Gothic text of parts of the Gospel of John, similarly to the Goths, the Gepidic nobility also adopted Arianism, an heretical strain of Christianity. The Reihengräber cemeteries found in the territory under Gepidic control, for instance at Szentes, are characterized by inhumation graves laid out in rows with an east–west orientation. Transdanubia was occupied in the early 6th century by the Lombards whose original cremation rite was replaced with a new habit of burying unburnt bodies in this period, in 567 the Avars subdued the Gepids, and in the next year forced the Lombards to flee to Italy. According to Paul the Deacon, the last remnants of the local Christian population also left Pannonia around that time, however a number of assemblages from the Early Avar period point to such a considerable Roman or early Bzyantine influence that they are grouped into the specific Keszthely culture
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Economy of Hungary
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The Hungarian economy is the 57th-largest economy in the world with $265.037 billion annual output, and ranks 49th in the world in terms of GDP per capita measured by purchasing power parity. Hungary is a market economy with a heavy emphasis on foreign trade. The country had more than $100 billion of exports in 2015, with a trade surplus of $9.003 billion, of which 79% went to the EU. Hungarys productive capacity is more than 80% privately owned, with 39. 1% overall taxation, on the expenditure side, household consumption is the main component of GDP and accounts for 50% of its total, followed by gross fixed capital formation with 22% and government expenditure with 20%. As of 2015, the key trading partners of Hungary were Germany, Austria, Romania, Slovakia, France, Italy, Poland, major industries include food processing, pharmaceuticals, motor vehicles, information technology, chemicals, metallurgy, machinery, electrical goods, and tourism. Hungary is the largest electronics producer in Central and Eastern Europe, electronics manufacturing and research are among the main drivers of innovation and economic growth in the country. In the past 20 years Hungary has also grown into a center for mobile technology, information security. The unemployment rate was 4. 3% in January 2017, down from 11% during the crisis of 2007–08. Hungary is part of the European single market which represents more than 508 million consumers, several domestic commercial policies are determined by agreements among European Union members and by EU legislation. Large Hungarian companies are included in the BUX, the Hungarian stock market index listed on Budapest Stock Exchange, well-known companies include the Fortune Global 500 firms MOL Group, the OTP Bank, Gedeon Richter Plc. Magyar Telekom, CIG Pannonia, FHB Bank, Zwack Unicum, besides these, Hungary has large number of specialised small and medium enterprises, for example many automotive industry suppliers and technology start ups, among others. Budapest is the financial and business capital of Hungary. 4%, on the national level, Budapest is the primary city of Hungary for business, accounting for 39% of the national income. The city had a gross metropolitan product of more than $100 billion in 2015, Budapest is also among the Top100 GDP performing cities in the world, as measured by PricewaterhouseCoopers. In a global city competitiveness ranking by EIU, Budapest is ranked above Tel Aviv, Lisbon, Moscow and Johannesburg, the Hungarian National Bank—founded in 1924, after the dissolution of Austro-Hungarian Empire—is currently focusing on price stability with an inflation target of 3%. In the age of feudalism the key factor was land. The new economic and social orders created private ownership of land, there are three forms of existence, the royal, ecclesiastical and secular private estate. The royal estate of the dynasty had evolved from the tribal lands. The origin of the private holdings dates back to the conquest tribal common estates
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Military history of Hungary
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The military history of Hungary includes battles fought in the Carpathian Basin and the military history of the Hungarian people regardless of geography. The first well established reference to Hungarians derives from Georgius Monachus work in the 9th century and it mentions that around 837 the Bulgarian Empire desired an alliance with the Hungarians. Although the Hungarians supposedly participated earlier at the Battle of Pliska in 811, the Hungarians began the conquest of the Carpathian Basin in 895. They continued to raid adjacent countries for many years, the Hungarians were able to defeat three major Frankish imperial armies between 907 and 910, however a military defeat in 955 forced them to withdraw and consolidate their gains. The strength of the Hungarian people arriving into the Carpathian Basin is well demonstrated by the failure of European countries in stopping them, the Magyars advanced as far as the Iberian Peninsula, the Coast of Normandy and city of Constantinople. The Magyar arts of war involved agility, speed, and precision and their armies were well-organized and the men were well trained and disciplined. They also carried sabers and spontoons, but the bow remained their armament of choice. The Magyars placed an emphasis on ranged fighting – their charges were usually preceded by a volley of arrows, the majority of their troops were trained to fight on horseback. The battle of Lechfeld, also known as the Battle of Augsburg in 955, in which Otto the Great and his army of the Holy Roman Empire defeated the Magyars, the Hungarians demonstrated a use of siege weapons, including a battering ram at the Siege of Ausburg. After that, Croatia was attached to the Hungarian kingdom, after Saint Ladislaus death, his nephew, the King Coloman of Hungary ascended to the Hungarian throne. The feudal lords of Croatia elected a new king, and tried to get rid of the Hungarian occupation, and then the Hungarians took up arms against Croatia, after this, Coloman was crowned as king of Croatia in 1102. The Hungarian chivalric army was at its best during the reign of Louis I, nevertheless, there were still light cavalry units in the army, consisting of, among others, Szeklers and the settling Kuns. On the winter of 1458 the 15 years old Mathias Corvinus was elected as king by the Hungarian nobility, during his reign he dealt with the noble factions, and created a centralized royal authority, supported mainly by the first permanent Hungarian mercenary army, the Fekete Sereg. Mathias favored the obsolete catapults over the modern cannons already employed by his father, light cavalry, formed by hussars and Jász mounted archers, regained part of their former role in the Fekete Sereg. On 2 September 1686 united Hungarian, Austrian and West-European troops liberated Buda from the Turkish occupation, by the end of the 17th century Christian armies led by Habsburgs conquered all the Turkish-ruled territories. Thereafter the Kingdom of Hungary was part of the Habsburg Monarchy, a decisive part of the fighting force – about four fifth, most of the time – was formed by the main arm of the time, infantry. The other arm, cavalry, still consisted mainly of cavalry, or units equipped with mail armor. Another two types of cavalry were dragoons and light cavalry, Hungarian hussars became internationally recognized, being a prime example of light cavalry
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