BUDAPEST, November 24. /TASS/. EU energy ministers, at a meeting in Brussels, failed to agree on a decision on the gas price cap proposed by the European Commission, Hungary’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Economic Relations Peter Szijjarto told reporters on Thursday following the meeting.
"Today, no decision was made, except for holding another extraordinary meeting of the Council of Energy Ministers on December 13," Szijjarto said. His speech was broadcast on Hungarian television.
On Thursday evening or Friday morning there will be a discussion of these issues at the ambassador level.
Szijjarto noted that the European Commission's proposal to introduce a cap on gas prices contradicts previous decisions by EU leaders, including on the non-proliferation of restrictions on fuel supplies through pipelines based on long-term contracts. It also violates the sovereignty of the member states of the EU and leads to a destabilization of the situation in the energy market.
"This is a very dangerous proposal that can cause a serious threat to the security of supplies," the minister stressed. According to him, the price cap, if introduced, will affect long-term contracts, and "this is unacceptable for Hungary."
As Szijjarto recalled, "the European Council decided that they should carry out a very thorough assessment of the impact of the gas [price] limit proposal, but this was not done."
"Therefore, no decision was made," he explained.
The minister also stressed that Hungary's position has not changed: "We don't want to be affected by gas price restrictions."
"Hungary wants to be released from any obligations in this regard, and we do not support the mechanism of joint purchases of gas from the EU," the Foreign Minister said.
"We managed to ensure that participation in joint purchases will be voluntary," Szijjarto added. He recalled that earlier Hungary managed to secure an exception for itself from the restrictions on the supply of Russian oil, which it also receives through the pipeline.