Hungary FM: Plan Aims to Kill Hungary's Utility Cost Reduction Scheme

The plan prepared by European Commission leader Ursula von der Leyen and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky would kill Hungary's energy security and the household utility price cut scheme, so the government will fight against it with all means in its power, said Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Peter Szijjarto on Tuesday in Budapest.

Szijjártó Péter Fotó: MTI

The ministry cited Peter Szijjarto as saying in reaction to the draft regulation presented by European Commissioner for Energy Dan Jorgensen, that the previous day, energy ministers had discussed the proposal that involved supporting Ukraine by cutting off Europe, and Hungary in it, from cheap Russian natural gas and crude oil.

Brussels' efforts must be thwarted, Peter Szijjarto says (Photo: AFP)

Brussels' Efforts Must Be Thwarted, Peter Szijjarto says

As a result of the Von der Leyen–Zelensky plan, Hungarian families would have to pay double for electricity and triple for gas compared to their current bills,

he stressed.

In yesterday’s debate, we made it clear that this is unacceptable for Hungary and that we will fight against Brussels' plan. Yet, today the European Commission, under the leadership of Von der Leyen, came forward with a draft regulation which is an actual legal document, and it involves making it impossible to purchase natural gas and crude oil from Russia,

he said.

The regulation would ban the purchase of Russian natural gas under short-term contracts as early as the beginning of next year, and from early 2028 under long-term contracts. Crude oil purchases from Russia would be stopped also from early 2028,

he pointed out.

No ban has been specified concerning nuclear fuel, which is obviously connected to the fact that the western European and Russian nuclear industries are completely intertwined, with numerous joint development projects under way between western European and Russian companies, so nuclear fuel acquisitions are currently not under threat,

Peter Szijjarto said, adding that the draft regulation shows that Brussels is ready to "kill safe and cheap energy supplies for Hungary".

This proposal seriously violates our sovereignty, since the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union explicitly states that energy policy decisions fall within national competence. No one can dictate what energy carriers we buy, how much, from whom, or when,

he emphasized. Despite this, one of the two crude oil pipelines leading to Hungary would be completely shut down, leaving only one available. This plan also means that in natural gas deliveries, 26 billion cubic meters of capacity would be scrapped in a short time. On the one hand, Ukraine has closed the pipeline through its territory. On the other hand, this proposal specifically names the border crossing point between Serbia and Hungary, so it would also stop deliveries through the TurkStream pipeline, he warned.

They are killing the two biggest gas supply routes, and then claim this is about reducing dependency and improving energy security,

he added. In Hungary’s case, he said, the effect would be the opposite. The Von der Leyen–Zelensky plan would kill the country’s energy security, kill the utility cost reduction scheme, and force Hungarian families to pay double for electricity and more than triple for gas compared to current levels, he stated.

This is unacceptable. We will fight this Brussels plan, and we will protect Hungary’s energy security and Hungarian families. We will fight as long as it takes to make sure the Von der Leyen–Zelensky plan does not ruin Hungary and Hungarian families for Ukraine’s sake,

he concluded.

Cover photo: Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Peter Szijjarto (Photo: MTI)