French Order Awarded to Austrian General Robert Brieger
French Ambassador to Austria Gilles Pécout awarded Austria's General and Chairman of the European Union Military Committee Robert Brieger the Commander's Badge of the French Legion of Honor on behalf of the French President at a ceremony Tuesday at the French Embassy in Vienna.
The Austrian Armed Forces' General Robert Brieger is serving as the chairman of the EU's Military Committee. / Picture: © Wikimedia Commons / Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff / CC BY 2.0
The Austrian Minister of Defense, Klaudia Tanner, attended the ceremony together with general staff officers of the Austrian Armed Forces and General Brieger's family.
Der Botschafter in , Gilles Pécout, verlieh am 11.4. Gen Brieger, dem Vorsitzenden des EU-Mil.ausschusses und ehemal Generalstabschef, im Beisein von Verteidigungsmin Tanner das Kommandeursabzeichen der Ehrenlegion für seine Verdienste um die - Verteidigungsbeziehung. pic.twitter.com/nOJfk8j8qx
— Frz. Botschaft Österreich (@France_Autriche) April 17, 2023
Robert Brieger is not only an officer of the Austrian Armed Forces with the rank of general, but he has also been chairman of the European Union Military Committee since May 16, 2022, Vindobona.org reported. With this important position in Brussels, he acts as an advisory body to the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and the Political and Security Committee (PSC) and is significantly involved in European, and therefore French, politics.
In his address, the ambassador recalled General Brieger's great contribution to the Franco-Austrian defense relationship - both through his post as chairman of the European Union Military Committee and in his former role as Austrian chief of staff. Federal Minister Tanner also recalled the general's tireless commitment to Austria.
General Brieger has already received several awards, including the Grand Decoration of Honor for Services to the Republic of Austria, the Austrian Armed Forces Medal for Military National Defense, the NATO Medal for Kosovo, and is an Honorary Knight of the Habsburg Order of St. George.