Hungary and Slovakia unite against EU proposal to ban Russian energy imports

Hungary and Slovakia are joining forces against the Brussels proposal on banning Russian energy imports, Péter Szijjártó, the foreign minister, said on Friday, adding that such a ban would result in “brutal price increases” in both countries.
After talking by phone with the Slovak energy minister, Szijjártó said in a statement that the European Commission had launched a direct attack on Hungary’s scheme to keep household energy bills cheap by proposing a ban on Hungary buying cheap energy from Russia.
Brussels, he said, wanted Hungarian families to pay the price of fast-tracking Ukraine into the EU and arming the country. The Slovak minister agreed to fight against the Brussels proposal “in the tightest possible cooperation”, he added.
Fidesz MEP: EP demand for immediate halt to Russian gas supplies ‘will starve Hungary’
The European Parliament is demanding an immediate halt to Russian gas supplies and this would starve Hungary of energy supplies and reserves, Fidesz MEP András Gyürk said in a statement on Friday.
The EP adopted its position on natural gas storage regulations at this week’s plenary, he noted, adding that “it’s dangerous that the left-liberal majority, including Péter Magyar’s [Tisza] party in Europe, is demanding an immediate ban on the import of Russian gas.”
The Patriots for Europe EP grouping’s energy spokesman said the move would make it impossible to fill up storage facilities in Hungary while also making household energy dearer, “which is why we voted against the proposal”. Storage guarantees European supply security so it would make sense now to renegotiate the gas storage regulation, which expires at the end of this year, he added.
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