Government official says debate over Debrecen battery factory is not about environmental protection

State secretary Csaba Dömötör said the debate over a battery plant in Debrecen, in the east of the country may “appear” to be a matter of protecting the environment, but is “really” the result of “intensifying economic competition” in a video posted on Facebook on Sunday.

Dömötör said the problem isn’t the construction of the battery plant, but the left wing’s involvement in the campaign. “The only thing that would be worse is if they’re getting money for it from abroad, let’s say in dollars,” he added.

He noted that new European Union rules are pushing the automotive industry in the direction of electric vehicles, pointing to a European Commission proposal to allow the registration of only zero-emission vehicles from 2035. That has resulted in “enormous competition” for production capacity, he said, adding that now is the period when decisions are being taken on where to build EV plants.

As those EVs will need batteries, the battery industry is picking up, he said, adding that 15 battery plants have been announced in the United States in the past two years, and big battery plants are already operating in France, Italy and Spain. Competition has started in the region, as Romania and Czechia aim to boost battery production, and the biggest battery plant in Europe is in Poland.