Péter Szijjártó, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Serbian Interior Minister Aleksandar Vulin have inaugurated the gas interconnector linking the two countries' gas networks.
According to MTI, Minister Szijjártó said in Kiskundorozsma that supplying energy is one of the most important duties of the government as well as a matter of national sovereignty. Without such resources, the country would become vulnerable and “fair game for others”, he said. “Hungary’s gas supply is not an ideological or political issue: ideologies and political statements cannot heat homes or fuel industry,” he said.
Minister Szijjártó noted that earlier this week, Hungary signed an agreement with Russian energy giant Gazprom to ensure supply once the previous agreement expires on Sept. 30. The 15-year agreement, in which Hungary pledged to buy 4.5 billion cubic meters of gas each year for at least the next ten years, will ensure the country’s supply for 15 years, he said.
Meanwhile, consistent development and route diversification are key to securing continuous supplies, Minister Szijjártó said. The new interconnector will transport up to 8.5 billion cubic meters of gas to Hungary annually, with 32 percent of the first year’s supply already contracted, he said.