Letter from David Hobbs regarding changes in the NATO PA Bureau

Mr Attila MESTERHÁZY (Hungary)
President of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly
Attila Mesterházy has been a member of the
Hungarian parliament since 2004 and is currently the
vice-president of its Foreign Affairs Committee. In
2010-2014, he was the Chairman of the Hungarian
Socialist Party and the party’s candidate for the office
of Prime Minister in the 2010 and 2014 elections. From
2016 to 2018, he chaired the parliament’s Budgetary
Committee.
Prior to becoming MP, he worked as University
lecturer, Head of Department in the Prime Minister’s
Cabinet and in the private sector as a PR and
communications project director. He also served as
State Secretary at the Ministry of Children, Youth and Sport (later - Youth, Family and
Social Affairs and Equal Opportunities).
Attila Mesterházy wrote a doctoral dissertation (summa cum laude) at the University of
Economics and Public Administration, Budapest, examining the EU’s regional and trade
policies. He also has a master’s degree in economics (with honours) from the same
university, and studied at the universities of Valladolid, Spain, and Groningen,
Netherlands, as well as at the Diplomat Academy in Vienna, Austria.
Attila Mesterházy has been a member of the NATO PA since 2006 and was elected as
Vice-President of the Assembly in 2019. Previously, he also served as Chairman of the
Defence and Security Committee’s Sub-Committee on Transatlantic Defence and
Security Cooperation. He has also held rapporteur positions on the Economics and
Security Committee and the Defense and Security Committee.
Attila Mesterházy was appointed as acting President of the NATO PA in December
2019.
NATO''s Parlamentariske Forsamling 2019-20
NPA Alm.del - Bilag 8
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M. Attila MESTERHÁZY (Hongrie)
Président de l’Assemblée parlementaire de l’OTAN
Attila Mesterházy est membre du parlement hongrois
depuis 2004, dont il est actuellement le vice-président
de la commission des affaires étrangères. De 2010 à
2014, il a été président du Parti socialiste hongrois et
candidat du parti au poste de Premier ministre lors des
élections de 2010 et 2014. De 2016 à 2018, il a présidé
la commission budgétaire du Parlement.
Avant de devenir député, il a travaillé comme
professeur à l'université, chef de département au
Cabinet du Premier ministre et directeur de projet en
relations publiques et communications dans le secteur
privé. Il a également exercé la fonction de secrétaire
d'État au ministère de l'enfance, de la jeunesse et des
sports (actuellement ministère de la jeunesse, de la famille, des affaires sociales et de
l’égalité des chances).
Attila Mesterházy a soutenu sa thèse de doctorat (summa cum laude) sur les politiques
régionales et commerciales de l'UE à l'Université d'économie et d'administration publique
de Budapest. Il est également titulaire d'une maîtrise en économie (obtenue avec
mention) de cette même université et a étudié aux universités de Valladolid, en Espagne,
et de Groningen, aux Pays-Bas, ainsi qu'à la Diplomat Academy à Vienne, en Autriche.
Attila Mesterházy est membre de l'AP-OTAN depuis 2006 et a été élu vice-président de
l'Assemblée en 2019. Auparavant, il y a été président de la sous-commission de la
coopération transatlantique en matière de défense et de sécurité (commission de la
défense et de la sécurité). Il a également occupé les postes de rapporteur pour la
commission de l'économie et de la sécurité ainsi que pour la commission de la défense
et de la sécurité.
Attila Mesterházy a été nommé président par intérim de l'AP-OTAN en décembre 2019.


INTERNATIONAL SECRETARIAT · SECRETARIAT INTERNATIONAL
Place du Petit Sablon 3
1000 Bruxelles (Belgique)
T. +32 2 504 81 55
F. +32 2 513 59 23
E. secgen@nato-pa.int
www.nato-pa.int
THE SECRETARY GENERAL
LE SECRETAIRE GENERAL
226 CIR 19 E 16 December 2019
TO SECRETARIES OF DELEGATION FOR DISTRIBUTION TO ALL MEMBERS
Dear Member,
I am writing to inform you of several developments concerning members of the Assembly’s
Bureau.
Firstly, Mrs Madeleine Moon (United Kingdom) was not re-elected to parliament in the general
election which took place in the United Kingdom on 12 December. Thus, as stipulated in the
Assembly’s Rules, Article 3.5, Mrs Moon’s mandate as President has lapsed.
In accordance with Article 18, the Bureau has unanimously appointed one of the Vice
Presidents - Mr Attila Mesterhazy (Hungary) - as acting President. This appointment is subject
to final approval by the Standing Committee at its next meeting.
In doing so, all the Bureau members expressed their deep disappointment that Mrs Moon
would be unable to complete her second term as President. During her tenure, she
reinvigorated the Assembly’s efforts to reach out to the successor generation and she ensured
that the Assembly adapted to take account of the increasing turnover among its members. To
cite just a few of her other accomplishments, she strengthened the relationships with non-
member delegations and, in particular, the delegations from Georgia and Ukraine.
I am sure that the entire Assembly membership will join me in expressing their profound
appreciation for her contribution to the Assembly, not only as President, but also as a key
member of the Defence and Security Committee.
The new acting President, Mr Mesterhazy, inherits a Presidency in excellent shape and, as a
prominent member of the Hungarian Parliament and a long-standing member of the Assembly,
he is extremely well qualified for this new position.
+ + +
Secondly, as was expected, Mr Marc Angel has now taken a seat in the European Parliament
and is no longer a member of the Luxembourg delegation to the Assembly so his mandate as
Treasurer has also lapsed.
In accordance with Article 20, the Bureau has unanimously appointed Vice-President Osman
Askin Bak (Turkey) as acting Treasurer. The incoming Treasurer, Mr Wolfgang Hellmich, will
begin his mandate as Treasurer on 1 April.
NATO''s Parlamentariske Forsamling 2019-20
NPA Alm.del - Bilag 8
Offentligt
INTERNATIONAL SECRETARIAT · SECRETARIAT INTERNATIONAL
Place du Petit Sablon 3
1000 Bruxelles (Belgique)
T. +32 2 504 81 55
F. +32 2 513 59 23
E. secgen@nato-pa.int
www.nato-pa.int
THE SECRETARY GENERAL
LE SECRETAIRE GENERAL
+ + +
Thirdly Mr Richard Benyon (United Kingdom) and Mr Miguel Angel Gutiérrez (Spain) are no
longer members of their respective parliaments so their mandates as Vice-Presidents have
lapsed.
Consultations are still taking place regarding the nomination of acting Vice-Presidents.
+ + +
If you have any queries on this or any other matter, please do not hesitate to contact me.
Yours sincerely,
David Hobbs