What happened? PM Orbán agrees to new sanctions against Russia in Brussels

Hungarian PM Viktor Orbán agreed to new sanctions against Russia on the first day of the two-day EU summit in Brussels. He also acknowledged Putin’s arrest warrant.

The conclusions of the European Council have been published after the first day of the EU summit. The documents include, among other things, that the leaders of the member states take note of the arrest warrant against Vladimir Putin recently issued by the International Criminal Court, which was previously vetoed by Hungary, 444.hu reports.

The document was endorsed by all participating Member State leaders, including Viktor Orbán. However, contrary to the adoption of the document, Hungary has not promulgated the statute.

The document summarising the Council meeting also shows that there remains a consensus among Member State leaders to increase collective pressure on Russia. This could mean further restrictive measures, such as an oil price cap.

The European Council urges the implementation of sanctions at European and national level. It is committed to preventing them from being abused by third countries. They will also step up joint work to counter Russian narratives and disinformation.

• Read also: Opposition: Hungary should be able to arrest Putin for committing war crimes

Official at UN Water Conference: Natural resources common heritage

The Hungarian government aims to maintain a liveable and clean country for future generations, the state secretary for environment affairs and the circular economy said at the UN 2023 Water Conference concluding in New York on Friday.

“Natural resources, such as water, are a common heritage of our nation and sustainable development is therefore one of the principles in the constitution approved in 2012,” the ministry of technology and industry said in a statement quoting Anikó Raisz. “While numerous parts of the world suffer from water shortage, Hungary, thanks to its fortunate geographical, geological and hydrogeological characteristics, is rich in quality water resources, and we therefore consider clean water a national treasure,” she added.

Raisz said the government paid special attention to maintaining the condition of water resources in the country and also supported civil initiatives to ensure that Hungary’s rivers remain free of waste and pollution.

Education and raising public awareness are part of Hungary’s national programme, including an environmental education scheme concerning waters dubbed BISEL (Biotic Index at Secondary Education Level) which is an effective way of bringing students closer to the issues of water management and environmental protection, Raisz said. Joint action linking several sectors, such as cross-border cooperation, is also important, which can be further strengthened by the joint targets laid down in the Water Action Agenda, she added.

Read alsoDeadly hit-and-runs in Budapest: Massive speed limit coming soon

Source: 444.hu, MTI