FM Szijjártó happy: Paks NPP’s Russian upgrade to be speeded up

Hungarian interests have been protected in the face of the European Union’s latest sanctions package against Russia, as Hungary’s nuclear plant in Paks has received full exemption from the measures, allowing works on its expansion to speed up, Péter Szijjártó, the minister of foreign affairs and trade, said in Luxembourg on Monday.

Paks exempt from EU sanctions

Adoption of the 14th package was “the continuation of an utterly failed strategy”, Szijjártó said during a break of a meeting of the EU Foreign Affairs Council.

Hungary had engaged in sharp debates during the preparation period “to protect ourselves, our national interests and energy security”, Szijjártó said, according to a ministry statement.

“We’ve reached the objective of having it stated in this directive that the construction of the new Paks nuclear power plant and all its processes, stages and elements are completely exempted from sanctioning measures,” he said.

Inside the Paks NPP. Photo: facebook.com/paksiatomeromu

“This means that the European companies participating in the investment — and we have many French, German and Austrian companies — will not have to apply for permits from the authorities of member states.”

Hungarian presidency will focus on enlargement

“This general exemption has created a situation regarding the Paks investment as if there were no war in Ukraine, and the war did not entail sanctions or economic restrictions,” he said.

Meanwhile, Szijjártó said the upcoming Hungarian presidency will focus on speeding up the EU’s enlargement process in the Western Balkans.

Szijjártó said the membership candidates in the region had been waiting for membership for “more than 15 years … because some western European countries continue to hamper the process, citing so-called issues of merit. The same countries are not so meticulous regarding the same merits when it comes to Ukraine.”

Photo: Facebook/Szijjártó Péter

He said that was a “mockery” of the enlargement process, adding that Western Balkans countries must be assessed “realistically, pragmatically, and not on an ideological basis”.

EU to fund sustainable energy upgrades in Hungary

The European Commission has earmarked 2.9 billion euros to support 39 sustainable energy initiatives in 10 member states, with Hungary receiving 76.8 million euros for the upgrade and development of sustainable district heating, the EC said on Monday.

The funding was paid through the EU’s Modernisation Fund, set up in 2021 to funnel revenues from auctioning emission allowances to upgrades furthering the EU’s climate goals.

Projects were funded in Bulgaria, Croatia, Czechia, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Romania and Slovakia. The Fund aims to support schemes helping EU member states in achieving their climate and energy policy goals and contribute to the EU achieving climate neutrality by 2050.

Besides the 10 states participating in the project, the Modernisation Fund also supports Greece, Portugal and Slovenia.

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