Hungary FM: EU Is Endangering Global Security

The European Union's glorification of attacks against energy infrastructure is a threat to global security, as this could set a highly damaging precedent and serve as justification for others around the world, Hungarian Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Peter Szijjarto said on Wednesday in Istanbul.

Hungarian Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Peter Szijjarto (Photo: AFP)

He explained that this has led to extremely harmful and dangerous decisions being made around the world, rendering certain energy sources and transit routes unviable, interfering with sovereign national energy policies, and discriminating against some forms of energy production.

In this context, he praised the rational approach of the Turkic countries, which regard energy supply as a physical issue, unlike the European Union, which represents the opposite, and highly damaging, approach.

He criticized the move that Brussels will vote this week on the RePowerEU regulation banning Russian energy imports, a measure Hungary will challenge before the European Court of Justice, even though no fair procedure can be expected there.

He took the view that the measure will be adopted through legal fraud, and that the reasoning behind it is nonsense, because this diktat would not serve diversification, would lead to enormous price increases, and would lead to a monopoly situation.

We will fight against this decision, which would have a rather negative impact on energy supply security. It is very hard to imagine how anyone could argue in favor of replacing a cheap and reliable source of energy with one that is more expensive and less reliable,

he stated.

He noted that energy imports to Hungary represent merely 0.2 percent of Russia’s gross domestic product, so it is absurd to claim that Hungary is financing Russia’s war in Ukraine.

Peter Szijjarto underscored that the current fragile situation clearly demonstrates the increasing value of energy cooperation with external partners, and therefore relations with the Turkic states carry exceptional importance.

He then warned that Europe’s insane policy endangers global security and global energy supply, because Brussels’ measures, violating national sovereignty and putting energy security at risk, could create precedents worldwide and serve as justification for intervention by other countries.

And this European attitude also endangers global security: just consider that EU leaders glorify physical attacks against energy infrastructure,

he pointed out.

The Ukrainians have carried out attacks against the Druzhba oil pipeline, which harmed not Russia but Hungary and Slovakia, yet European leaders put these actions in a positive light. And this is extremely dangerous, as others could later cite this as justification, arguing that attacks on physical infrastructure are something positive,

he added.

"Praising the blowing up of Nord Stream was one of the most serious statements made by a European politician in recent years. Glorifying state-supported terrorism is completely unacceptable. (...) It is sad that so-called responsible European politicians make such statements in the 21st century," he continued, also condemning the Black Sea attacks against tanker vessels.

Finally, the minister pointed out that nuclear energy is also under serious ideological attack within the EU. He stated that this must be opposed, as nuclear power is the only way to meet the ever-growing demand for electricity in a cheap and safe manner while preserving environmental considerations.

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