Hungary reaches new agreements with Russia on energy supply
Hungary has reached new agreements with Russia that will guarantee the country’s uninterrupted natural gas and oil supplies in the coming period, Péter Szijjártó, the minister of foreign affairs and trade, said in Moscow on Tuesday.
Szijjártó said that despite the reactions his visit to Moscow was likely to draw from “the international liberal mainstream” and the Hungarian opposition, cooperation with Russia would remain key for Hungary’s energy security as long as energy supply was a physical issue and not a political or ideological one.
Though Europe is “proud to have got through the winter”, a recent report by the International Energy Agency indicates that energy supply security will be critical in the next heating season, Szijjártó said after meeting Alexander Novak, Russia’s deputy prime minister in charge of energy matters, and Alexey Likhachev, Rosatom’s chief executive, according to a ministry statement.
The minister argued that there were no guarantees that the next winter would be as mild as the past one, adding that China’s energy needs were rising now that it had reopened its economy after the pandemic and that European LNG capacities were limited.
He said the uninterrupted supply of Russian gas to Hungary was crucial, welcoming the extension of the option for Hungary to increase, if need be, gas imports beyond the volume specified in the country’s long-term gas purchase agreements.
A second agreement extends Hungary’s option to defer payments of its gas over a 150 euro price threshold, irrespective of the current prices, he said. Though gas prices are well below that right now, “the past year has demonstrated that we have to be able to prepare for extreme situations, too,” he added.
Meanwhile, Szijjártó said Russia had assured him that the technology, knowledge and parts needed to operate the TurkStream pipeline were all in place despite the sanctions.
Szijjártó said some 80 percent of Hungary’s oil supply had been delivered via the Druzhba pipeline in 2022, adding that Hungary and Russia had agreed that the Russian supplier would continue delivering the oil to Hungary’s oil and gas company MOL via the Ukraine-Hungary border.
He said Russia in the past had proposed other solutions that would have made Hungary responsible for the deliveries via Ukraine, “but it is better to avoid this in the current situation”.
In order to maintain the oil deliveries via Ukraine, MOL will pay the transit fee directly to the operator of the Ukrainian pipeline network, Szijjártó said.
Hungary and Russia agree changes to Paks upgrade contract
Hungary and Russia have agreed on changes to the construction and financing contract of the upgrade of the Paks nuclear power plant with a view to enabling the project’s continuation and completion, Szijjártó said in Moscow on Tuesday.
The war in Ukraine and the responses to it have not made it any easy to make progress on the expansion of the Paks plant, Szijjártó said after talks with Alexey Likhachev, Rosatom’s chief executive, according to a ministry statement
Though so far sanctions on nuclear energy have been prevented, “it is clear that throughout Europe, in many cases there are efforts to block successful nuclear cooperation between Hungary and Russia through political means and unlawful decisions”, the minister said.
Szijjártó said that regardless of the war and the sanctions, the Paks contract had to be modified because of the technical and technological changes seen in the nine years since it was signed.
“The sanctions have only added to this, so by modifying the contract Russia and Hungary had to find the legal framework that ensured that the nuclear plant can be built,” he said.
Hungary and Russia have also agreed on how the construction and financing contract would be changed, he added.
Once those amendments are finalised, they will be submitted to the European Commission for approval, Szijjártó said.
“We hope the European Commission doesn’t wish to put Hungary’s long-term energy supply at risk,” the minister said, adding that the Paks plant’s new blocks were critical to guaranteeing sustainable and affordable energy supply in the coming period.
Meanwhile, Szijjártó welcomed the completion of the diaphragm wall monitoring tests, adding that they have been submitted to the National Atomic Energy Authority (OAH) and the power plant’s leadership for review.
The minister also welcomed the progress being made in the planning of the sixth block’s construction.
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2 Comments
This is good news–Hungary and Hungarians first!–but we all know Russia is no friend or partner of any kind. Hungary needs to stop or at least reduce reliance on ANY external source of energy. Go nuclear, start fracking, start drilling. There’s plenty of gas and oil to be found in Hungary but it need vision and courage because the “green” and globalist/globaliszt lobbies are very vicious and powerful.
Michael Steiner – your commentary its content, does place you in a position that could, if ever effected, see you “Burn at the Stake.”
The dismissal of history – Hungarian / Russian “dealings” positions with each other, the history, if you read took time to study the subject matter, through to 2023 – your Wrongful, quite dangerous in Fact opinion, that Hungary do not enjoy a Friendship nor Partnership with Russia – NAIVE.
Hungary – and it under the DICTATORSHIP of Victor Orban – will not HAPPEN, if there is time, if Orban was ever removed from POWER, come back simple’ to focusing on;
(1) – What’s BEST – for the Citizens/Population of Hungary
(2) – What’s BEST for Hungary.
The emplacement of the above (1) & (2) – can only by FULL practice – be proposed considered in Hungary – by reverting to the CORE of Democracy.
That’s Hungary’s – its “Achilles Heel.”
Democracy – is “Dead and Buried” in Hungary.
Michael Steiner – your various commentaries give clarity that you support embrace, the present place Hungary is in and ways to “move it ” forward, under the Political Ideas and Philosophies – the Creeds” or “Dogma” that Victor Orban “enforces” on the Citizens of Hungary.
The clarity in your commentaries is that Hungary can stand alone, not in need of “external” support by country’s ruled and governed under Democracy.
You give clarity – that the ABANDONMENT of Hungary – taken to this PLACE we are presently in, by Victor Orban – divorcing ourselves from DEMOCRACY remembering that the CORE of being a Member of the Family of European Country’s – is Democracy, support it, embrace it and PRACTICE it, in your Governance of your country, which Orban, being “Judged ” through the Courts of the European Union, through his ABUSE – rightfully is paying for his Crimes.
Hungary – we have through Orban become a “deserted” country, that through the ruination of friendships under the OWNERSHIP of Orban – country’s under DEMOCRACY have obliviated dismissed our existence.
Michael Steiner – lookin a mirror and ask this question;
WHO are FRIENDS of the country we know – we Live called Hungary?
“Top of the Tree” – Russia & China.
Hopefully, the mirror reflects this factual image answer otherwise it will CRACK /
History never Lies and from wherever your location may be on this Planet, you may be of age, that “warmed” felt secure under the Russian ways in Hungary post 1945 to 1989, but then again, remembering that age does give us Wisdom, it never changes Facts of History, and we in Hungary, are in a rapid process of a return to a dominated Governance under a Dictatorial regime, that is a perilous journey for Hungary – our FUTURE – that we embark.
Michael Steiner – August 1989 – Hero’s Square – Victor Orban on the Podium – on the microphone – “Pontificating” to just not those visible in front of him, but to ALL, way back then, Europe, the Global World – the way forward for Hungary under DEMOCRACY.
YouTube – Orban speech.
It’s History and EDUCATIONAL.
WHAT an insult, a mockery – he has and continues to EXERCISE on DEMOCRACY.