The Hungarian foreign minister reminded that the rights of Transcarpathian Hungarians have been systematically curtailed in Ukraine since 2015, and the most recent example of this is that minority schools have become impossible to operate since September this year.
The minister emphasised that the current situation is lethal for Europe’s competitiveness, with gas prices seven times higher than in the United States and electricity three times higher than in China. ‘Under the current circumstances, the solution is to focus on the supply side instead of the demand and bring as much gas to the European market as possible,’ he nailed down.
Péter Szijjártó pointed out that Hungary is already the world’s fourth-largest producer of electric batteries and that in the last thirteen months, batteries have been the country’s top export product.
The Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade was in Brussels to take part in the European Humanitarian Forum, where he talked about the excessive efforts Hungary has made to help over 1 million Ukrainian refugees, and another 1 million persecuted Christians around the world.
Péter Szijjártó expressed hope that members of the European and transatlantic community would adopt the Hungarian stance, adding that currently, on this hemisphere, war rhetoric is much louder and stronger than peace rhetoric.
Péter Szijjártó said the process of doubling the capacity of the gas interconnector between Serbia and Hungary by 2028 is on pace. With the two new nuclear power units at the Paks plant set to enter commercial operation in the early 2030s, both countries’ electricity supply will also remain secure.
Péter Szijjártó did not mince his words when reacting to recent critical remarks on Budapest’s Ukraine policy by US Ambassador David Pressman.
The fact that over 1000 Moroccan students applied for admission to Hungarian universities for this academic year shows that the rise in quality of Hungarian higher education is internationally well known and recognised, Péter Szijjártó said.
Péter Szijjártó noted that in a number of matters, Hungarians and Slovaks depend on each other, adding: ‘The war has highlighted our differences, but I believe it has also strengthened our interdependence just as much.’
Minister Szijjártó underscored that he is glad there are still politicians like Matteo Salvini in Europe. He said Salvini, whom he described as an old friend, is one of ‘those who are able to think rationally about migration’.