Hungary and Türkiye sign new agreement for the most extensive energy cooperation ever

Hungary and Türkiye are embarking on their broadest-ever energy cooperation as part of a new agreement after which natural gas imports from Türkiye can start next year, Péter Szijjártó, the foreign minister, said on Monday.

At the press conference held after meeting the Turkish ministers of energy, industry and trade, Szijjártó said the sides signed five agreements.

“The last few years have shown that the closer cooperation is between the two countries, the more” Hungary benefits from it, he said.

The new deal between Hungarian energy company MVM and Türkiye’s BOTAS broadens energy cooperation more than ever before, he added.

Türkiye will become a source for Hungary’s purchases of natural gas purchases next year, and cooperation will involve storage, infrastructure development, and the use of renewables and hydrogen.

Szijjártó said the EU faced “a serious energy crisis”, and, in contrast, Hungary’s supply was stable as it purchased energy “from reliable partners”.

Ankara, he added, was key to this, and more than five billion cubic meters of natural gas has already arrived this year through the TurkStream pipeline.

The minister also said cooperation in transport infrastructure development would be strengthened as Hungarian and Turkish rail construction companies V-Hid Epito and Gulermak entered into an alliance.