Hungary could be given exemption from EU’s oil price cap
It appears that Hungary will be given an exemption from the European Union’s planned price cap on Russian oil imports, the minister of foreign affairs and trade said in Brussels on Thursday, adding at the same time that “several dangerous proposals are still on the table”.
Under the current plan, the oil price cap would not apply either to pipeline deliveries or deliveries by sea if they became necessary due to unviable pipeline delivery, the foreign ministry cited Péter Szijjártó as saying after a meeting of EU energy affairs ministers. This latter exemption is important given the disruptions to crude deliveries via Ukraine, he said.
If these exemptions were not applied the volume of Russian oil deliveries would drop, causing prices to rise, Szijjártó said.
As regards the European Commission’s other proposals, the minister criticised the solidarity mechanism aimed at avoiding sharp disparities of gas supply across the bloc, calling it “yet more power aspirations on the part of Brussels aimed at eroding the energy-policy sovereignty of member states”.
He said member states had failed to reach agreement on the proposal at the meeting after “a significant number of them” resisted the idea.
Szijjártó said Hungary had helped to ensure that the scheme for joint EU gas purchases would be voluntary, thereby preventing the country from “getting stuck on unfavourable platforms”.
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He noted that under the scheme member states would have to notify the EC six weeks in advance of their intention to discuss gas deliveries, “at a time when quick decisions are needed”.
“This is obviously nonsense — madness; we don’t even understand how it could have made it into the proposal,” Szijjártó said.
He also criticised the part of the proposal that would require member states that have enough gas in storage to turn some of it over the countries facing trouble in times of crisis.
“Imagine a situation in which someone from Brussels can order us to turn the gas purchased with the money of the Hungarian people for the Hungarian people and for operating the Hungarian economy … over to another country,” Szijjártó said.
Given that gas prices are higher when storages are being filled up than when the gas is being used, such a proposal would open the door to speculation, he said, arguing that no one would have an interest in buying gas when the storages have to be filled up, which would constitute a risk to energy security.
Szijjártó said member states had also begun talks on imposing price caps on gas imports, but had not reached a decision. The ministers will next meet on Dec. 13 to continue the talks, he added.
Szijjártó called the proposal “dangerous, pointless and inadequate”, saying there was a risk of gas deliveries being withheld from Europe or diverted somewhere else. “Moreover, it does not fall in line with the decision reached at the European Council’s last session,” he added.
Szijjártó said the closing statement issued at the last European Council session declared that the price caps on natural gas would not apply to long-term gas supply agreements. Yet under the latest plan this would not be the case, which the Hungarian government considers “unacceptable”, he said. Hungary will fight to achieve an exemption from the gas price cap as well, Szijjártó added.
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Source: MTI
“Do we speak the TRUTH the whole TRUTH and NOTHING but the TRUTH” – or AGAIN is this FALSEIFICATION of FACT?
Is it the LOVE of the Fidesz Party – PROPAGANDA Machine, with a Major user being the Hungarian Foreign Minister – Peter Szijjarto?
Peter Szijjarto reminds me in looks very similar to the “infamous” – Heinrich Himmler.
The practice of to pre-empt decision “on the table” with the European Unión, submitted by Hungary – in view of the DECAYED relationship Hungary, through its present Prime Minister – Victor Orban & his Government – this is a DANGEROUS course to travel.
The “Paper Masha” thinness continuous, in its relationship erosion Hungary & the European Union, the CLIMAX – bought on through the near collapsing of the Hungarian Economy, the NO funding extension in time from the European Union to Hungary and the overall – European Union Membership, in addition to Britain, America and Globally, the deepening of the blatant DISRESPECTFUL opinion(s) – for the present Prime Minister of Hungary – “expressed by the European Union “Governing” Hungary not as a Democracy, but a Dictatorship, Victor Orban.
Hungary – the HUMONGOUS internal cataclysmic problems and challenges on its own land, looking just at its Economic & Finacial position, inclusive of ALL the Major componentry in its functionality.
Inflation factually 40% and cost of living – destroying millions of the lower socio-economic civilian’s lives – declining AGAIN of the forint/huf against “other” major currencies – just to make reference to “little” of the HORRENDOUS times that exist and will be in Hungary for a distance in time- years 3 – 5.
WHAT about the Educators/Education – on-going EXPLOSIVE matter in Hungary?
WHERE is the Orban Government, it won’t be the European Union – where are they the promises in the past they have made and broken, where are they going to ACQUIRE the billions of forints to Service & Invest, renumerate Educators – to standards of the 21st Century?
Public Health – Hospitals – same as Education – the NEED to RAISE standards to 21st century standards and facilities and renumerate ALL in the professions – to 21st century levels.
PRIORITIZATION – what is it (12) twelve years Orban and his “lot” have been in POWER and look at the cataclysmic SHAMBLES – we are living in and will continue same for next 3-5 years – DEPLORABLE.
I would encourage people to download and read the EU’s individual assessment of Hungary’s National Energy and Climate Plan:
https://energy.ec.europa.eu/individual-assessments_en
Two years ago, the EU highlighted all of the weaknesses of our Politician’s “Energy Policy Sovereignty”. By all appearances, they did absolutely nothing!