The Foreign Minister has announced that Hungary has secured enough gas supplies to heat homes and run the country’s industry in 2020.
“Hungary’s gas supplies from Russia have been secured by the agreements signed today,” Péter Szijjártó, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade, told the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum after meeting his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov and Industry and Trade Minister Denis Manturov.
According to MTI, the Minister also held talks with Energy Minister Alexander Novak and is also scheduled to meet Gazprom CEO Alexei Miller.
Minister Szijjártó said Hungary is set to receive two billion cubic meters of gas by the end of September. The two countries also signed an agreement under which Russia will next year send another two billion cubic meters of gas to Hungary via Austria.
The Minister noted, however, that Moscow and Kiev had yet to sign a new gas transit deal for 2020. Because of this, he said, Hungary had to make sure to bring in Russian gas via Ukraine before the end of the year.
Minister Szijjártó highlighted that cooperation with Russia was important for Hungary both in terms of foreign trade and energy security. “What we’re seeing now is that the major western European countries are quickly intensifying their economic, trade and investment cooperation with Russia,” the minister said. “We haven’t reached that pace but the deals signed today are again a step forward for enhancing Hungary’s energy supply and foreign trade performance.”
The Minister said gas supply talks with Russia would from now on focus on 2021 and beyond. He welcomed the resumption of Russian oil flows to Hungary and that Hungarian and Russian companies were able to clarify the problems that had led to Russia suspending its oil supply.
Photo credit: MTI