US pressure on Bulgaria to punish Hungary

It is unacceptable that one EU member state jeopardizes the natural gas supply of another EU member state, Hungary's foreign affairs and trade minister emphasized.

Szijjártó Péter külgazdasági és külügyminiszter beszédet mond a Swiss Krono Kft. beruházásának bejelentésén a Külgazdasági és Külügyminisztériumban 2023. október 3-án. Eszerint a svájci tulajdonú faipari cég új, rétegeltlemez gyártására szolgáló egységet épít kilencmilliárd forint értékben, amelyhez az állam egymilliárd forint támogatást nyújt, így segítve kilencven új munkahely létrehozását. MTI/Balogh Zoltán Fotó: Balogh Zoltán

During his visit to Moscow on Friday, Peter Szijjarto sharply criticized Bulgaria for the fact that a law is awaiting promulgation that would significantly increase the price of gas deliveries to Hungary, Hungarian media reported. Hungary's foreign affairs and trade minister did not rule out a possible halt to gas transit through Bulgaria. 

Two weeks ago, the Bulgarian parliament passed a bill at first reading that would impose an extra tax of €10.2 per megawatt hour on Russian pipeline gas deliveries transiting through Bulgaria to Serbia and Hungary, which would result in significant additional costs for the Hungarian economy.

It is clear that the bill was drafted under American pressure. Not paying the increased transit fee on Russian gas could lead to turning off the gas tap, according to the bill. "This is obviously unacceptable. It is quite simply contrary to European solidarity and European rules for one EU member state to jeopardize the natural gas supply of another EU member state," said the Hungarian minister attending the Russian Energy Week in Moscow. He added that the Hungarian government has contacted Serbian and Bulgarian political leaders over the issue.

The draft law has not yet been published, but its adoption would be rather risky for Bulgaria, as Hungary could thwart the Balkan country's aspiration of joining the Schengen area.

Rumen Petkov, ex-interior minister of Bulgaria's former Stanishev government and chairman of the ABV party, received Serbia's ambassador to Sofia on Friday. The Serbian ambassador expressed concern that the extra tax on gas prices will also affect the social and economic environment due to the general energy insecurity in Serbia and the region.

The Serbian side was not consulted on the additional financial burden on the price of natural gas from Russia,

ambassador Zeljko Jovic noted.

"Before imposing the tax, Bulgaria failed to hold proper consultations to inform other countries affected by the gas transit route across Bulgaria. Besides Serbia, Greece, Macedonia, Hungary and Austria have received no information to date," Rumen Petkov pointed out. The former minister noted that the text of the law, which imposes a tax of 10 euros per megawatt hour on the import or transit of Russian gas, is contrary to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union and will be challenged in Bulgaria's constitutional court.

The right-wing news portal Pik asked Georgi Markov about the issue in an interview. The former constitutional judge and MP said that it is obvious that we want to punish Aleksandar Vucic and Viktor Orban on the basis of a US diktat, and that Prime Minister Denkov failed to inform them that they would come under sanctions.

Markov recalled that at the opening event of the World Athletics Championships, Viktor Orban warned that blowing up the gas pipeline would be tantamount to a war against Serbia and Hungary. Since neoliberals cannot do this, they resort to the more elegant solution of shutting off the gas tap, which would mean a nuclear bomb for Hungary's economy. This is how they want to bring down the Orban government.

There was no other method. If Soros were to send thirty thousand people to the streets, millions would go out for Viktor Orban. If the bill is adopted, I can say with certainty that Hungary will veto our country's accession to the Schengen area. After doing a  favor to Biden and Soros, our journey to Europe will not lead through Belgrade, but through the Bosporus if President Erdogan allows passage,

Georgi Markov noted.

According to the Bulgarian Bnews.bg  news portal, there is a huge hole in the Bulgarian budget, which is why the neoliberal government wants to increase the transit fee on gas shipments by twenty percent. If the Bulgarian parliament approves the bill in its current form, it would put a significant strain on the traditionally good relations between Hungary and Bulgaria. The key to resolving the conflict is now in the hands of Hungarian diplomacy, and Bulgarian political leaders are following closely how the Hungarian government reacts to the draft law.

Cover photo: Hungarian Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Peter Szijjarto (Photo: MTI/Zoltan Blaogh)