Hungarian FM: Threats to close transit routes of energy supplies undermines EU unity

Source: Facebook/Szijjártó Péter

Threats to close the transit routes of crude oil and natural gas threaten the European Union’s unity and severely undermine solidarity between member states, Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó said on Wednesday, after talks with the Serbian finance minister.

Szijjártó told a joint press conference with Sinisa Mali that such a threat “has surfaced in some EU communications”, and that Hungary sees it as a

“severe attack on our sovereignty, energy security and security interests.”

Regarding the EU proposal to sanction Russian crude imports, Szijjártó warned that Hungary would not vote for such a scheme until it threatens the country’s energy security.

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Hungary and Serbia have agreed to continue to guarantee safe transit routes for each other, the foreign ministry cited Szijjártó as saying.

Further, Hungary will allow Serbia to use Hungarian gas storage facilities to secure their supplies for the winter, he said.

The war has increased the importance of cooperation between Serbia and Hungary, he said. Hungary receives 10 million cubic meters of gas via Serbia daily, and has transported 458 million cubic meters there this year, he said.

Hungary and Serbia have also agreed to double the connections of their electric grids within the next 6-8 years, he said.