Chinese could emerge around Paks II construction in Hungary

It is possible that Chinese companies may also appear around Paks II. Currently, the possibilities of applying their experience in nuclear power construction to the Hungarian project are being investigated.

Will Paks II see Chinese intervention?

There is a possibility that Chinese companies may also appear around Paks II, and they are currently investigating the possibilities of applying their experience in nuclear power construction to the Hungarian project. Among other things, this is what Gergely Jákli, CEO of Paks II Plc., talked about in an interview with Portfolio.

Jákli said that when the French prime contractor for the Hinkley Point C nuclear power plant in England was asked about the background of the project, they were directed to their Chinese counterpart. The reason is that there are 52 nuclear power plants under construction in China and the French prime contractor has brought Chinese people into the project.

“Three giant companies cover the entire nuclear industry in China, and so we are absolutely looking at points of cooperation,” said the CEO.

Jákli also said in the interview that the sum of EUR 12.5 billion “remains in place” with the Russian prime contractor, but added that the projected costs of building a nuclear power plant in Western Europe had not been met anywhere else, so it would be “irresponsible” to say more now.

Szijjártó: Manufacturing of Paks 2 reactor vessel underway in St Petersburg

The melt trap manufactured for the new reactor blocks in Paks is ready, and another large component, the reactor vessel, is under manufacturing in St Peterburg, the minister of foreign affairs and trade said on Friday.

Responding to a question at a press conference on another matter, Péter Szijjártó said the manufacturing of those components was a “milestone”. The melt trap will arrive in Hungary in the summer, ahead of schedule, he said.

The reactor vessel, “the heart of the reactor, is where the actual chain reaction happens,” will be 11 meters high and 4.5 meters in diameter, with a 30cm wall, Szijjártó said. It will weigh 330 tonnes, he added. The reactor vessel will have to be operational for at least 60 years “in 330 degrees Celsius, under 162 Bars of pressure”, he said.

The Paks upgrade is progressing according to schedule, Szijjártó added. The start of the new blocks in the beginning of the new decade will mean a great step towards energy security, he said.

Szijjártó: Campaign against Chinese companies damaging to European economy

The close links between German and Chinese companies are obvious from Hungary, and it is not clear what they talk about in Brussels and they probably have no idea how the electric car transition happens in the real world, the foreign minister said on Friday.

The ministry cited Szijjártó as saying in response to a question at a joint press conference with Czech counterpart Jan Lipavsky that when the European Union takes action against Chinese companies, they should look at Hungary and see that the largest German and Chinese companies very closely cooperate in the car industry.

“I think that the campaign against Chinese companies is also damaging for the European economy because we can see the close interlinks between German and Chinese companies, and we can also see that certain German company strategies, whose success is also in Europe’s interest, cannot be successful without Chinese suppliers,” he said.

“It is possible to manufacture ideologies and say that something is politically unacceptable, but the facts are facts,” he added.

He said he was looking forward to the upcoming Chinese presidential visit to Hungary and added that details would be announced on April 29.

In response to a question concerning a possible Hungary-Ukraine summit, he said this could take place only after the ethnic Hungarian community in Transcarpathia gets back the rights they had had before 2015.

“Only when the rights are restored, not when promises are made, can a summit be held,” he said. “We are ready for it. Our expectations are clear, and we have submitted them in eleven points,” he added. “I am continually in talks with my colleagues [Head of the Office of the President of Ukraine Andriy] Yermak and [Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro] Kuleba, and they know what we would like, they know what we expect, and I hope at some point they will take them into consideration,” he said.

In response to a question concerning the approval of a US support package for Ukraine, he said assessing the decision should be left to US voters who will have the opportunity in November to express their opinion about what future they wish for the world in terms of peace or war.

“We sincerely hope that the decision will take the world closer to peace and not towards the escalation of war,” he added.

“We believe that weapons supplies extend the war and result in further people dying, further destruction, and whereas we are aware that this position is in a significant minority in Europe, but it still exists, and we still maintain this position,” he said.

Szijjártó said only a diplomatic settlement could end the conflict and every warring side must sit at the table for peace talks.

He reiterated that the government attributed great importance to Visegrad cooperation and there has always been more areas where the affected countries were in agreement than those where they were not in agreement. Only the current difference in opinion concerning the Ukraine war is rather striking, he added.

“I hope that all four of us will be wise enough to recognise that there are ten times more matters in which we agree (…) and we represent our position together in these because that is best for everyone,” he said.

He assured Lipavsky of his support for the decision to meet Budapest Mayor Gergely Karacsony later in the day, adding that it was completely normal and should not be criticised if a guest also meets other political players.

He added that he would also meet non-government party politicians during various foreign visits, as was the case recently in Prague.

Szijjártó: Hungary planning ‘real central European’ EU presidency

Hungary plans to focus during its upcoming European Union presidency on issues that are important to central Europe, such as the fight against migration, enlargement to the Western Balkans and energy security, the foreign minister said on Friday.

Péter Szijjártó told a joint press conference with Czech counterpart Jan Lipavsky that the current visit was during an extremely difficult period when the world faces severe challenges, but this could hopefully strengthen the central European common experience because the countries of the region are most affected by the consequences of the war underway in their neighbourhood.

One of the main goals of the upcoming EU presidency is to stop the decline of the community, and the other is to pursue a real central European presidency, Szijjártó said. He added that the latter meant that Hungary would focus on issues that are important to central Europe.

Special attention will be paid to the success of the fight against illegal migration, speeding up EU enlargement in the western Balkans, and guaranteeing energy security, he said.

The dramatic effects of migration waves has been directly experienced in central Europe since 2015, and serious regional cooperation has been necessary to stop the flow of migrants, he added.

“Czech, Slovak and Polish police helped us and still help us at the southern borders of Hungary to keep outside the illegal migrants threatening Europe,” he said. “The continued joint efforts of four central European prime ministers have been necessary to keep the issue of quotas under control and not allow thousands or tens of thousands of illegal migrants to roam around uncontrollably,” he added.

Szijjártó said “we will continue to resist the pressure concerning quotas”.

Commenting on EU enlargement in the western Balkans, he said it was undeserving that candidates in the region had been waiting for accession for 14 years and 11 months, which he said undermined the credibility of EU policies.

“This is a situation that must be resolved, therefore the Hungarian presidency has a clear agenda to help the countries in the western Balkans to speed up the accession process,” he said.

He also talked about energy security, stating that both countries were planning nuclear developments and therefore they would continue to stand up against negative dsicrimination concerning nuclear energy in Brussels.

“Nuclear energy is a sustainable way of producing energy, it is a safe, environmentally friendly and cheap method for producing large amounts of electricity,” he said.

“It helps maintain and improve the competitiveness of central Europe, so we do not want to give it up, and we are ready to involve Czech companies in Hungarian nuclear development projects, and we are also in a good position for Hungarian companies to ensure their presence in the area of nuclear developments in the Czech Republic,” he added.

Commenting on Hungary-Czech cooperation, he said that Czechia was Hungary’s sixth largest trade partner and bilateral trade surpassed 14 billion euros last year, a record. Czechia is also the fourth most important target for Hungarian investments.

Szijjártó recalled that recently efforts have been made to create joint ventures in the transport and defence industries and that Hungarian oil and gas company MOL operates over 300 filling stations in Czechia.

He also said that Visegrad cooperation – between Hungary, Czechia, Poland and Slovakia – has always played and still plays an important role in the Hungarian foreign policy strategy.

“Visegrad cooperation contributes to improving central Europe’s competitiveness and security, and it brings all of us closer to fulfilling our national goals,” he added.

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