Hungarian Minister Urges Energy and Transport Diversification
Europe’s competitiveness is being threatened by politically motivated energy sanctions, warns Hungarian Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Péter Szijjártó. In a speech at the European Gas Conference in Bucharest, Szijjártó emphasized the need for new resources and transport routes to combat the impact of these sanctions on living standards.
Szijjártó criticized the liberal mainstream for approaching energy issues from an ideological perspective, leading to a major energy crisis in Europe. He highlighted the importance of diversifying energy sources and creating new transport routes to ensure competitiveness and standards of living are not compromised.
Addressing criticisms regarding the purchase of Russian natural gas, Szijjártó defended the decision by stating that it is only worth changing procurement direction if there is a better offer available. He emphasized Hungary’s commitment to energy cooperation with Russia and the importance of protecting the TurkStream pipeline for energy security.
Hungary is also exploring new energy partnerships, with plans to buy liquefied natural gas from Qatar starting in 2027 and receiving deliveries of Turkish and Azeri gas. Szijjártó stressed the need for capacity expansion in Southeastern Europe for effective diversification, despite the European Commission’s refusal to finance such developments.
In addition, Szijjártó expressed hope for the success of the Neptun Deep project in Romania, which could provide new resources for Hungary’s energy mix. He highlighted the importance of reaching commercial agreements and adding Romanian gas to Hungary’s energy portfolio.
Overall, Szijjártó’s remarks underscore the urgency for Europe to break free from politically motivated energy sanctions and embrace new resources and transport routes to safeguard competitiveness and living standards.
