Steven N.
The Hungarian government is strongly opposed to joint EU action on natural gas from Russia, stated Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó at a joint press conference with Serbian Foreign Minister Nikola Selaković in Szeged yesterday.
Szijjártó expressed the view that the gas agreement is between two companies, which the European Commission has nothing to do with. As such, there is no need at all for joint action in this area.
We do not consider it necessary for the European Commission to give any type of common response to the countries who import Russian natural gas.
-said the Foreign Minister. He added that Russia set up separate agreements with each country, not with the entire EU, so he sees no need for joint action.
We have been working on this issue, and I would like to say first of all that our first payment obligation will be at the end of May. A technical solution is available so that we will be able to pay for the natural gas that we use. The details of this technical solution are being worked out.
-said Szijjártó on whether the Hungarian side would be paying for its Russian gas in rubles.
Radio Free Europe asked this question before the elections as well, but at that time the Foreign Ministry did not wish to answer it.
The Hungarian government purchases gas from one of the subsidiaries of Gazprom through one of state-owned MVM’s own subsidiaries.
Péter Szijjártó was also asked why the Ukrainian ambassador was called in to the Foreign Ministry. Szijjártó responded that it was unacceptable for them to consider the Hungarian government as a group that has openly created a totalitarian regime, or as a Putin accomplice.
The Hungarian people decided in a democratic election the way they did, and this must be respected by everyone. The whole world must respect it.
-argued Péter Szijjártó. He also said that the Ukrainians should instead be thanking the Hungarian government for all it is doing for them.
In Péter Szijjártó’s comments about the war, it never once came out who Ukraine was at war with, as he didn’t mention Russia or Putin’s name at all. [Szabad Európa]
