FM Szijjártó said at a joint press conference with Serbian Energy Minister Dubravka Đedović that there is a strong chance the first milestone in talks on acquiring a majority stake in NIS could be reached soon, with an initial key agreement between MOL and Gazprom Neft possibly concluded in the coming days.
The Hungarian government supports MOL’s intention to acquire a stake in NIS because it would represent such a major step forward for the security of Central Europe’s energy supply that the region has never before been in a comparable position, the foreign minister underlined.
FM Szijjártó pointed out that the coordinated operation of the oil systems of three landlocked countries with limited oil resources – Slovakia, Hungary and Serbia – as well as the integrated functioning of the refineries in Bratislava, Százhalombatta and Pančevo, would create an unprecedented situation in terms of both energy security and energy prices in Central Europe.
He stressed that the MOL, as a future owner, considers the Pančevo refinery to be of strategic importance, adding that all claims suggesting the Hungarian company merely wants to acquire market share and then shut down the facility are false.
Such assertions, FM Szijjártó said, are fake news and part of a deliberate disinformation campaign, noting that even the most beneficial projects inevitably have parties with opposing interests.
The minister confirmed that the Hungarian government is providing continuous diplomatic support to ensure that MOL can enter the Serbian oil market as the future majority owner of NIS.
FM Szijjártó also announced that Hungary and Serbia will conclude an intergovernmental agreement to establish a favourable framework for strategic cooperation in the oil sector, and to underline the importance of the planned oil pipeline between the two countries.
He explained that this will involve not only a new crude oil pipeline connecting Hungary and Serbia, but also the construction of a new oil products pipeline linking MOL’s refinery in Százhalombatta with the logistics centre in Novi Sad.
The acquisition of a majority stake in NIS by MOL, combined with the construction of the Hungarian-Serbian oil pipeline, would represent a breakthrough in the energy security of Central Europe, Serbia, Hungary and Slovakia, placing the region in a better position than ever before, FM Szijjártó said, adding that this is why the Hungarian government supports MOL’s acquisition plans and is concluding an intergovernmental agreement with Serbia.
The foreign minister stressed that the war in Ukraine and European Union policies have already led to a severe energy crisis in Central Europe, and that Brussels is now seeking to further worsen the situation by cutting off reliable sources and established transport routes.
At the same time, he noted that the crisis once again demonstrated the strength of Hungarian-Serbian friendship, without which secure energy supply in the region could not have been guaranteed.
FM Szijjártó recalled that last year 7.8 billion cubic metres of natural gas reached Hungary via Serbia, adding that Hungary and Serbia are mutually indispensable to each other’s energy security.
He also highlighted that in order to manage the difficult situation that has emerged in Serbia, MOL has increased its oil exports by around two and a half times, reaching the upper limit of its capacity.
All three of MOL’s fuel depots in Serbia are operating at their operational maximum, FM Szijjártó said, adding that MOL petrol stations in the country have managed to handle a more than 20 percent increase in turnover in recent weeks.