Is the Hungarian state gas distributor giving preferential prices for political reasons?

Since the beginning of the energy crisis, there have been several reports of Hungarian institutions or municipalities receiving horrific price offers from the Hungarian state gas distribution company. It seems that politics is also interfering in pricing, and Debrecen is a prime example.

Nowadays, gas prices can bring municipalities and businesses to their knees. The pricing shows that not all pro-government municipalities can escape. The Fidesz mayor of Balassagyarmat was shocked when he received an offer of over HUF 1,600 (EUR 3.74) per cubic metre, hvg.hu said. Puerta Nánás Kft. in Aszód supplies gas for HUF 1,000 (EUR 2.33), the Constitutional Court for HUF 1,276 (EUR 2.98) net per cubic metre.

The state-owned MVM offered Szentendre, which is not led by Fidesz, a 17.5 times higher gas price than last year, at HUF 1,801 (EUR 4.20) per cubic metre instead of HUF 103 (EUR 0.24) per cubic metre, but when local representatives refused to accept this, MVM offered a price of HUF 2,644 (EUR 6.17).

The city of Debrecen is a priority beneficiary

Napi.hu has noticed that MVM Next Energiakereskedelmi Zrt. can supply natural gas to the city of Debrecen at a net price of HUF 798 (EUR 1.86) per cubic metre, according to the results of the latest public tender.

While the city, which is run by a government-parliamentary party, will be able to buy gas for HUF 798 net, the residential market price is slightly less, at HUF 747 (EUR 1.74) per cubic metre.

The EU’s public procurement gazette also shows that the contracting authority, A.K.S.D. Városgazdálkodási Zrt., has asked for 227,516 cubic metres of gas for 2023, which it can increase by 20 percent if it wishes.

The cheapest offer is HUF 181,647,000 net (EUR 424,098), i.e. 798 forints per cubic metre of gas.

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Source: Napi