BUDAPEST, September 25. /TASS/. Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban praised his government's timely steps to ensure Hungary’s energy security. Speaking at the national parliament on Monday, which resumed work after the summer holidays, Orban said that the authorities quickly took the necessary measures when it became clear that the EU leadership had decided to cut off Europe from Russian oil and gas supplies, and the Nord Stream pipelines were disabled as a result of a terrorist attack.
"Neither the conflict between Russia and Ukraine, nor the "terrorist attack on the Nord Stream gas pipeline," which was allegedly an act of state terrorism, presented us with an impossible task regarding the country’s energy supply, the head of government said.
He recalled that Hungary has achieved exceptions from EU sanctions and continues to receive Russian gas through the Turkish Stream pipeline and its branches through Bulgaria and Serbia, and oil through the southern branch of the Druzhba pipeline.
Budapest has also entered into agreements to import gas from Azerbaijan, Qatar and Turkey, which could become important fuel suppliers to Central Europe in the coming years, he said. Storage facilities in Hungary are full and can already provide 60% of annual gas consumption. That means that "despite the turmoil in the global energy market," the country was able to guarantee its energy security, Orban concluded.
The leadership of the European Union has clearly decided to "cut off Europe from Russian energy supplies," which is contrary to the interests of all EU members, and Hungary "is not able to stop this now," Orban admitted. Therefore, he said, the government sets itself the task of "reducing the negative consequences of this decision by Brussels."