Brussels had enough: EC calls on Hungary to stop relying on Putin
Seems like Brussels has had enough. Kadri Simson, European Commissioner for Energy Policy, has called on Hungary to do its utmost to reduce its dependence on Russian energy and its “vulnerability to Kremlin influence”.
As the Brussels-based newspaper Politico recalls, in October, Russia’s Gazprom indicated that it would increase gas supplies to Hungary for the winter period, following the meeting between Hungarian PM Viktor Orbán and Russian President Vladimir Putin in Beijing.
“Even Hungary knows that by continuing this activity, they grant Russia the right to manipulate their market,” Simson said. She added that “I know one political leader in Europe who is shaking hands with this war criminal,” referring to their meeting and handshake in Beijing.
The EU Commissioner pointed out that the EU as a whole has significantly reduced its dependence on Russian gas. Even vulnerable members such as Slovakia and Bulgaria plan to phase out energy imports from Russia by 2027.
Simson also expressed regret that Hungary is continuing with the Paks II project. She said it “depends on Russia’s support and nuclear fuel”. Find our latest report on the developments of the Paks project HERE.
In September 2021, Hungarian MVM signed two long-term contracts with Gazprom to supply a total of 4.5 billion cubic metres of gas per year through pipelines running through Serbia and Austria, Index informs.
Under constant pressure?
Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó said in October that Hungary is under constant pressure from the European Union to reduce its dependence on Russian energy. He said that one of the main obstacles to diversification is precisely the policy in Brussels.
“Where a country buys its energy from is not a political statement. You cannot heat houses and apartments with political statements, you cannot run the economy with political statements”, Index quotes the minister as saying.
“As long as natural gas cannot be transported in a backpack or by plane, it has to be bought from where the infrastructure is,” he said.
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