Hungary stands as the sole EU member state purportedly failing to adequately diminish its energy reliance on Russia, a paid advertisement of the US Embassy in Budapest suggests. However, the truth is that numerous EU nations continue to rely on Russian imports, and the Hungarian government is actively striving to diversify its energy sources.
Crucial milestones regarding the expansion of the nuclear plant in Paks are the construction of the containment structure and the reactor vessel, of which the former has been completed, while the manufacturing of the latter is set to commence shortly. It is expected to reach another milestone, the ‘first concrete’, by the end of this year.
The first V4 summit of the year is scheduled for 27 February, with a focus on illegal migration, energy security, and the EU’s strategic objectives. After the estrangement caused by the war in Ukraine, cooperation seems to be back on track, but its future will largely depend on the willingness and ability of Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán and Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk to collaborate.
Péter Szijjártó welcomed the continuous development of bilateral economic relations and the breaking of export records. He also praised Qatar’s role in the release of some hostages abducted by Hamas, including three Hungarian citizens, and revealed that another Hungarian citizen might be held by terrorist organization and requested assistance from Qatar in facilitating their prompt return.
The conservative position in the United States is that American exports should be ramped up to secure European energy stability and American influence, pushing back Russia’s own power across the continent while questioning the validity of the environmentalists’ alarmism in the process. While U.S. policy is already moving in such a direction through its increased LNG exports, a possible conservative administration in 2024 seems to have its agenda set to push the effort into overdrive.
During a joint press conference with Alexey Likhachev, the head of the Russian nuclear energy company Rosatom, Péter Szijjártó welcomed the start of the construction of new reactors in Paks. He pointed out that the expansion is currently the largest nuclear project on the continent with a construction permit.
According to the ministry’s statement, Foreign Minister Szijjártó minister reported on the progress of the Paks project during a hearing of the Sustainable Development Committee of the National Assembly, welcoming the fact that the visible phase of the project is now underway.
The energy cooperation between the two countries will gain a new dimension as gas supplies will soon also originate directly from Turkey, following the finalisation of an agreement between MVM and Botas for the purchase of 275 million cubic metres of gas next year.
The ministry emphasised that combined cycle gas turbine power plants can be built relatively quickly, have exceptionally high efficiency, low specific carbon dioxide emissions, and their capacity can be adjusted to consumption levels.
A brief summary of the most important remarks made by government officials on the second day of the 32nd Tusványos Summer Festival in Transylvania.
During the inauguration of a new solar power plant established by the MVM Group, Alexandra Szentkirályi stated that due to the war in Ukraine and the imposed sanctions, a very challenging energy situation has emerged. Therefore, the government’s most important task is to strengthen Hungary’s energy independence.
James Woudhuysen, the author of the study and a guest professor at London South Bank University, stated that the EU energy policy and decision-making are more ‘performative’ than effective, and the related decisions have not improved but rather worsened the energy situation in the EU.
‘Hungary has submitted the draft contract modifications to the European Commission, and we received the green light from them yesterday,’ Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Péter Szijjártó announced.
The minister reported at a press conference following the meeting of the Hungarian-Serbian Economic Joint Committee that the contract for the planned oil pipeline, to be established in cooperation between Mol and Transnafta, will be signed at the 20 June government summit.
The minister held talks with ministers and was part of an energy conference panel discussion, where he emphasised the importance of renewable energy, electric vehicles and nuclear power.
Europe and Hungary were fortunate to have a mild winter, but ‘a country’s leadership cannot make an unequivocal bet that this will always be repeated,’ Energy Minister Lantos warned. Therefore, the government has decided to raise the level of the security gas reserve. Previously, the country stored 10 per cent of its annual consumption as a security reserve, which was now raised to nearly 2 billion cubic metres, or 20 per cent of consumption, while consumption itself decreased.
‘Hungarian-Serbian strategic energy cooperation is one of the guarantees that Hungary’s supply will remain secure in the next period,’ the minister said.
Fidesz MEP András Gyürk emphasised that creating modern energy storage facilities is a costly endeavour, so he called upon the European Commission to ‘provide immediate access to each member state to the funds they are entitled to.’
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.
Hungarians will continue to provide assistance to Turkish people affected by the recent earthquake, Katalin Novák, President of Hungary said at a joint press conference held in Ankara on Wednesday with Recep Tayyip Erdogan, President of Turkey, following their meeting.
Last week’s invitation of the French President shows that despite Hungary having disputes with the European Union and the EU funds due to our country are being withheld, the Hungarian Prime Minister is not at all an isolated actor in European political life.
The working dinner was held at the Élysée Palace, where Macron received the Hungarian Prime Minister in front of the press at around 7:30 p.m.
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.
The level of cooperation between Baku and Budapest was raised to the next level this week by the signing of a declaration on enhanced strategic partnership.
Hungarian Conservative is a quarterly magazine on contemporary political, philosophical and cultural issues from a conservative perspective.