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European Council: Orbán on Ukraine oil dispute as EU chief urges homegrown energy amid Iran conflict
Hungarians must resolve the issue of the Ukrainian oil blockade; Brussels sides with the Ukrainians, the prime minister told reporters on Thursday in Brussels ahead of the European Council meeting.
Responding to a question, Viktor Orbán said he expects nothing from the people in Brussels: “We Hungarians must solve the problem of the Ukrainian oil blockade; Brussels is actually colluding with the Ukrainians and stands on their side (…). Whatever they say, what we’re seeing is just a charade.”
According to MTI, he confirmed that he will never support any decision concerning Ukraine until the Hungarians receive their oil.
“We want to receive the oil that is ours and that the Ukrainians are currently withholding. I will not support any decision that would benefit Ukraine until the Hungarians receive the oil that is theirs” — he stated.
Responding to a question about resolving the stalemate, Viktor Orbán said: “We are not speculating, because once the oil arrives, the situation will be resolved.” He stated that he sees no progress in the matter.
Responding to a question, the prime minister also noted that representatives of the Tisza Party “usually sit here in Ukrainian jerseys” in the European Parliament; the fact that they are pro-Ukrainian is obvious to every Hungarian.
“The Tisza Party is pro-Ukrainian. They’re wearing Ukrainian jerseys; we didn’t put them on them. So the fact that they’re pro-Ukrainian—whether they wear Ukrainian jerseys at home or wave Ukrainian flags in public—is, I think, obvious to every Hungarian,” he said.
Regarding energy prices, he noted that Thursday’s meeting will also address the looming threat of an oil and global economic crisis, which could hit Europe the hardest.
“Today we must discuss how to protect ourselves from this,” said Viktor Orbán, adding that Hungary has its own national tools, but—as he emphasized—a European solution is also needed.
In response to a question regarding the German foreign minister’s threat of severe consequences against Hungary for withholding a loan intended for Ukraine, Viktor Orbán said: “This has happened before; it didn’t end well for the Germans—they shouldn’t do it.”
Regarding the debate with the prime minister, Viktor Orbán stated:
“I only debate with sovereign poeple.”
Why is this interesting?
The last televised prime ministerial debate took place in 2006; at that time, Ferenc Gyurácsány proved to be a stronger candidate than Orbán in the election, and since then, Fidesz’s leader has avoided prime ministerial debates to the extent that he doesn’t even acknowledge his challenger. Now the challenger is clear—Péter Magyar—but based on his statements, he does not consider him a legitimate opponent. According to Magyar, the prime minister is a coward, which is why he does not dare to stand up to him.
If you missed it: Péter Magyar gears up for a new cooperation with Putin
Costa needs to stop using thst much LSD. Maybe then he’ll understand, that natural gas and oil doesn’t grow on trees?
No, his brain is just too fried to ever comprehand that.
As opposed to Hungary. We LOVE being dependent on others – and then, bitch about it. Other peoples fault when things go pear-shaped. Rarely a plan B. “No War!” “Peace!”
How quickly some people forget … We have been here, before. If only our deft Politicians could have stopped the “Warmongers!”, this time. For “Hungarian Families!”:
“If Iran disintegrates as a result of the current war, a significant region of the world could become ungovernable and uncontrollable, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban said, quoted by the MTI agency, BTA reports.
Regarding the consequences of the conflict, Orban said that the price of Brent oil has increased by one fifth in one month. War leads to an increase in prices, so war is bad for Hungarians, he said.”
https://fakti.bg/en/world/980062-viktor-orban-disintegration-of-iran-would-be-a-source-of-great-danger
Politico: Orban Has Crossed EU Red Line, After Elections He Will Face Reckoning
The impending reckoning for Budapest was announced by five EU diplomats and a government minister.
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban has blocked a 90 billion euro loan for Ukraine that he himself approved in December, crossing a line beyond which the EU will no longer remain silent.
The Politico reports.
The EU leaders’ summit in Brussels on Thursday could be Orban’s last – he faces elections in April, where he is losing to his opponent.
The impending reckoning for Budapest was announced by five EU diplomats and a government minister from one of the bloc’s countries.
German Foreign Minister Johann Wadeful bluntly warned in a private meeting that Budapest’s obstructionism could no longer be tolerated. Other ministers have spoken out even harsher.
“Prime Minister Orban must realize that he is constantly testing the limits of what other member states are willing to tolerate,” said one EU diplomat.
Sweden has already openly stated its willingness to consider Article 7 of the EU Treaty, a mechanism for stripping Hungary of its voting rights.
What happens next
The real consequences depend on the outcome of the April 12 election. If Orban’s rival Peter Magyar wins – the EU will take a wait-and-see attitude. If Orbán is re-elected – a “serious conversation” between the bloc’s countries on the way forward will begin.
“There will certainly be repercussions after the election. We are just waiting for it to happen,” one diplomat said.
The EU is now considering tying the funding to stricter rule of law conditions.
Leaders face a choice: take the loan off the agenda and piss off Zielenski – or go for a confrontation with Hungary and look like they are being blackmailed.
“If we can’t get the loan through, Zelensky, quite rightly, will be furious,” one diplomat acknowledged.
What happened
Orban used the damage to the Druzhba oil pipeline in January to block a loan to Ukraine. This is a violation of his own word to EU leaders and at the same time a convenient excuse for an election campaign.
Simultaneously, the Hungarian prime minister detained an armored convoy carrying Ukrainian gold and published a video claiming Ukraine was threatening his family.
By the way, former Fidesz MP Juzhanna Szelenyi believes he is capable of provoking a constitutional crisis or declaring a state of emergency to make it harder to form a new government.
She says if the opposition wins only a simple majority – Orban will have enough tools to effectively block parliament.
Experts say: Orban is unlikely to directly claim fraud – it would hurt his chances of a comeback. But he will challenge the results in individual constituencies and encourage supporters to protest.
The Guardian: Orban Faces ‘blockade’ Over Ukraine Decision
Hungary’s prime minister has infuriated EU leaders.
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban could face pressure from EU leaders following his decision to block a €90 billion loan for Ukraine.
This is reported by The Guardian.
It is noted that Hungary’s last-minute blockade of the €90 billion loan has infuriated other EU leaders since Orban agreed to the funding agreement last December on condition that Budapest would not be obliged to participate.
Hungary, Slovakia and the Czech Republic had earlier promised they would not block a decision by the 24 EU member states to take up the loan.
EU diplomats insisted there was no alternative to what Hungary had already agreed to.
“An agreement is an agreement. Therefore, there is no plan B, no plan C, no plan D. This (the 90 billion euro loan – ed.) is what has to happen,” a senior EU diplomat said.
A second senior diplomat said the EU could not talk about Plan B. The source said criticism of the Hungarian government was becoming more and more open.
The EU official said Kosta, who will chair the EU summit, had a long telephone conversation with Orban on Tuesday morning.
“The message was very clear: ‘I expect you to respect the commitments you have made in the European Council and that this 90 billion euro loan decision will be honored,'” the official said, relaying Kosta’s words.
Although some diplomats expressed skepticism that Orban would backtrack before the election, a leaked draft communique after the summit said EU leaders were looking forward to “the first tranche before the beginning of April.”
Bravo Orban, your friend is doing a great job!
Focus:
Rising oil and gas prices will soon drive up general inflation. The German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy anticipates an inflation rate of 3.5 percent. In the worst-case scenario, this could cost hundreds of euros.
Advisors to the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy assume that the inflation rate in Germany could rise to 3.5 percent if the Iran war continues for at least another two to three months. Companies would then eventually be forced to pass on the higher oil and gas prices to consumers. This effect was already seen during the 2022 energy crisis. Should the inflation rate rise again this time, experts believe it would remain at this level for at least the rest of the year.
An additional increase of 1.5 percentage points may not sound like much. However, it would have an impact on your daily life. After all, inflation affects things like rent, heating, and groceries. These would be the effects:
Housing
According to the Federal Statistical Office, the average German household spends 36 percent of its income on rent, energy, and repairs. That amounts to around €1,112 per month. The rate is even higher for people with low incomes, at just over 50 percent.
The inflation rate in this area was recently only 1.0 percent. An increase of one and a half percentage points from March to the end of the year would therefore cost the average household an extra €231. The range extends from €123 for people with very low incomes to €328 for households with a net monthly income of more than €5,000.
Food
Inflation for food has been higher than the general inflation rate in recent years. Most recently, however, at 1.5 percent, it was even lower. The average German household spends €452 per month on food and beverages. That’s almost 15 percent of all expenditures.
If inflation rises by 1.5 percentage points, this will result in cumulative additional costs of around €94 by the end of the year. The range here extends from €46 for the lowest-income households to €137 for wealthier households.
Transportation
All car-related costs, as well as tickets for buses, trains, ships, and airplanes, constitute the third-largest expenditure item for German households. On average, twelve percent of all expenditures go into this category. For the average household, this amounts to €376 per month. Transportation is an area where wealthier households spend more money relative to their income than poorer households. At the upper end of the income scale, 16 percent of consumption is spent on transportation, while at the lower end, it is only 5 percent.
The inflation rate in the transportation sector was recently 2.3 percent. Because fuel prices are also included in this figure, the rate is likely to rise by more than just 1.5 percentage points. However, due to a lack of better data, we are still using this figure. For the average household, the additional costs would amount to €79 by the end of the year. The range is from €13 to €156, depending on income.
Leisure Activities
The typical German household spends 8.6 percent of its budget on leisure, sports, and culture. That’s €266 per month. Here, too, wealthier households invest more, at 9.5 percent, than poorer households, at 4.3 percent.
Inflation for leisure spending was 1.4 percent at the beginning of this year. If it rises by one and a half percentage points, the average household will pay an extra €55 by the end of the year. This time, the range is from €10 to €99, depending on income.
Total Expenditure
These four areas cover roughly three-quarters of the average household’s consumer spending. If inflation actually rises to 3.5 percent starting this month, that alone would mean additional costs of €459 for you. Poorer households will pay significantly less, at €192 extra. However, they also have significantly less leeway. According to the Federal Agency for Civic Education, they typically spend up to 98 percent of their disposable income.
At the start of the EU summit in Brussels, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán ruled out a swift reversal of his veto against billions of euros in financial aid for Ukraine. Referring to the conflict over the interrupted Russian oil deliveries via the Druzhba pipeline, he said his country would only resume supporting pro-Ukrainian projects once oil flow to Hungary was restored through the pipeline. Without the oil, Hungarian households and businesses would go bankrupt, he asserted, adding that there were no other options.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz called on the Hungarian Prime Minister to abandon his blockade. Speaking in Brussels, he reminded the summit in December that a unanimous decision by all member states had been reached on the matter. “The principle of cooperation within the European Union is the principle of loyalty and reliability. And I assume that all member states in the European Union adhere to this,” Merz emphasized.
Why are we hearing nothing from Orban on this matter?
Reuters reports that energy prices surged on Thursday after Iran attacked the world’s largest LNG facility, causing damage that Qatar said could take five years to repair. This confirmed the worst fears of the energy sector regarding the war launched by the US and Israel against Iran.
QatarEnergy CEO Saad al-Kaabi told Reuters that the state-owned gas company may have to invoke force majeure on long-term contracts with Italy, Belgium, South Korea, and China, as the attack has resulted in a loss of approximately 17% of Qatar’s liquefied natural gas exports for three to five years.
Gas prices in Europe rose by as much as 35% on Thursday, and oil prices climbed by as much as 10% before giving up some of their gains in the afternoon.
“I could not have imagined in my wildest dreams that Qatar—Qatar and the region—would be subjected to such an attack, especially by a friendly Muslim country during the month of Ramadan, attacking us in this way,” al-Kaabi said.
Analysts say Israel’s attack on Iran’s South Pars gas facilities on Wednesday and the retaliatory strike against the Ras Laffan facility in Qatar represent a sharp escalation of the conflict that many had feared.
“Infrastructure is no longer just collateral damage from disruptions; it is becoming a direct target,” Rob McLeod, head of energy price risk solutions at Hartree Partners, said in a LinkedIn post.
“This has significant implications for both the duration and the volatility of any supply shock.”