Hungarian PM visits gas pipeline after explosion attempt Cancels Easter water ritual

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán travelled early morning of April 6 to the Hungary–Serbia border to inspect the condition of the gas pipeline on the Hungarian side.

Sharing a post on his Instagram account, Orbán said instead of water-splashing, they are going to the Hungary–Serbia border.

 

 

 

 

 

View this post on Instagram

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A post shared by Orbán Viktor (@orbanviktor)

“Yesterday, an attempt was made to blow up the pipeline on the Serbian side. We are checking that everything is fine on the Hungarian side. I will report on developments,” Orbán wrote.

Easter Monday, the second day of the holiday in the Gregorian calendar, is traditionally marked in Hungary by the custom of water sprinkling.

On the afternoon of April 5, Orbán convened an emergency session of the National Defence Council after Serbian authorities discovered an explosive device and triggering equipment on critical gas infrastructure connecting Serbia and Hungary, according to Belgrade media, citing Tanjug.

Following the meeting, Orbán announced additional reinforcement of military personnel guarding the section of the TurkStream gas pipeline on Hungarian territory.

In a video posted online, the prime minister thanked Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić for the “quick and effective response.”

He added that no one was injured and that the sabotage attempt was prevented. The pipeline is operating normally without disruptions.

Earlier, Vučić reported that two large explosive packages with detonators were found in the municipality of Kanjiža and stated that the Serbian army had successfully neutralised the threat to critical national infrastructure, vowing decisive action against anyone attempting to endanger it.

By Bakhtiyar Abbasov