Brussels, 17/06/2015 (Agence Europe) - Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto has highlighted the vulnerability of Central Europe, including Hungary, on energy security. He made his comments after meeting Commission Vice-President with responsibility for Energy Union Maros Sefcovic who was in Budapest on Tuesday 16 June as part of his Energy Union Tour of EU capitals.
Szijjarto complained that Romania and Croatia had not yet carried out the investment necessary for gas interconnectors with Hungary, despite the relevant EU and bilateral agreements, Hungarian press agency MTI reports. Szijjarto, nonetheless, gave assurances that the Hungarian government would do all in its power to ensure the country's energy security. It would, he said, seek to achieve that goal by linking Central and Eastern Europe's electricity networks. Among other ambitions for Hungary, the minister stressed the importance of a strategic large capacity gas pipeline between the countries of the region and Turkey, thereby diversifying supply routes and sources.
Hungary is part of the high-level Central and South Eastern Europe Gas Connectivity (CESEC) group, the ultimate objective of which is that each of the region's nine member countries have access to at least three different sources of gas supply. At its second meeting in Dubrovnik on 10 July, the group, along with the Commission, will assess the progress made by experts in establishing an action plan for building the priority gas infrastructure that the region is lacking.
On Tuesday, Szijjarto said, too, that the interconnector between Hungary and Slovakia could begin shipping gas from 1 July, pointing out that Hungary had been the first EU member state to conclude an agreement with Ukraine on reverse gas deliveries. This agreement had served as a template for other countries on how Ukraine can be linked up with the European market.
MTI reports that Sefcovic had appreciated Hungary's “constructive and responsible” approach towards the interconnector projects.
Szijjarto also confirmed the Hungarian government's position on energy pricing in the country, giving assurances that there will be no utility price rises under the current government and that Budapest was working with the EU on an agreement to make this possible. Sefcovic said he understood the Hungarian government's sensitive approach on the matter and its desire to protect vulnerable consumers.
The outcome of Sefcovic's Energy Union Tour will feed into the first report on the state of energy union, which the Commission will present to the European Parliament and the Council in the second half of this year. The report will be an important tool in following progress made at European, national and regional levels in implementing this project that is so important to the Juncker Commission. (Emmanuel Hagry)