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FM: Hungary has offered to purchase 25 percent of new Croatian LNG terminal

Péter Szijjártó said “it is a critical issue for the Central European region whether it will be capable of diversifying its gas procurement sources”

The foreign minister has revealed that Hungary has made an offer to Croatia that it would like to purchase a 25 percent share in the LNG terminal which might soon be constructed.

On the sidelines of a summit for leaders of China and sixteen Central and Eastern European countries (CEEC-China 16+1) in Dubrovnik, Péter Szijjártó said “it is a critical issue for the Central European region whether it will be capable of diversifying its gas procurement sources”.

“Several scenarios exist for this, one of which is the construction of a terminal capable of receiving liquid natural gas (LNG) on the Croatian coast,” he said.

“It is also in Hungary’s strategic interests for the terminal to be constructed and offer the country a gas procurement source at a competitive price,” the minister stressed. “For this reason, we have made an offer to Croatia according to which, in the case of a competitive price, Hungary is prepared to purchase a 25 percent ownership share in the LNG terminal to be possibly constructed,” he highlighted.

The minister said acquiring a share in the ownership of a LNG terminal is a strategic issue, but Hungary does not accept the linking of the two. He said further negotiations are needed and the positions of the two parties are clear.