FM highlights Azerbaijani gas as part of Hungary’s multi-source strategy

Hungary’s current gas infrastructure would be unable to supply the country adequately if Russian gas deliveries were cut off, potentially driving prices sharply higher, according to Hungarian Foreign Minister and Minister for Foreign Economic Relations Péter Szijjártó.

He made the remarks during a speech at the Russian Energy Week (REN), as per TASS.

“At present, thanks to our energy resource balance, we are secure. Regarding gas, we have a long-term contract with Gazprom. But we are definitely purchasing gas from other sources as well. We buy Turkish gas. We buy gas from Azerbaijan. We buy gas through the LNG terminal in Croatia, and we are planning to purchase gas from Engie and Shell based on the long-term contracts we have just signed. Yet physically, if we are cut off from the Russian gas source, the remaining infrastructure cannot supply the country,” Szijjártó explained.

He emphasised that Russia has always respected contracts and reliably supplied energy to Hungary. However, if Hungary is forced to change the structure of its energy imports, gas prices — currently the lowest in Europe — would surge.

Szijjártó also criticised EU proposals affecting oil infrastructure, saying: “Currently, Hungary is supplied by two oil pipelines. Brussels wants us to close one of them in the name of fundamental diversification. But how does closing one of two pipelines diversify the country? How can one pipeline be considered safer than two? This is madness, a scandal, and completely illogical.”

By Tamilla Hasanova