Foreign Minister Szijjártó Speaks about Energy Policy in Tokyo Conference

The existing Paks (central Hungary) nuclear power plant and the one under construction.

The Hungarian government rejects any political pressure on the sources from which it should purchase energy, and will always choose the best solutions in the national interest, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Péter Szijjártó said in Tokyo on Tuesday.

The minister pointed out at the Global Energy Security Forum that in the last five years there have been three major crises in a row. All of them have had a very negative impact on energy markets, putting states like Hungary, with no coastline or significant oil and gas fields, in a particularly difficult situation.

He warned that

ideological and political pressures on energy markets are increasing, and the past period has shown the importance of a responsible energy policy,

meaning that the government must ensure the country’s uninterrupted energy supply while taking environmental concerns into account.

Minister Szijjártó recalled that sanctions imposed in response to the war in Ukraine have caused an energy crisis, while Western Europeans proudly claim that they are now free of Russian sources. However, this is not true, as they only buy oil with the intervention of third countries such as India, and the Russian share is the highest in liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminals.

The politician emphasized that

the Hungarian government rejects any political pressure on the sources from which to buy energy and will always choose the best solutions in the national interest.

In this context, he also said that the composition of the national energy mix should remain a national competence in the EU, taking into account individual circumstances.

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Péter Szijjártó stressed that Hungary does not see the green cause as a political ideology, but as a means to preserve the planet. He added that Hungary is one of the twenty-one countries in the world that have been able to reduce their emissions while increasing their gross domestic product (GDP). He noted that strengthening competitiveness and protecting the environment must go hand in hand and a good balance must be achieved in this respect.

The minister highlighted that a responsible, carbon-neutral global energy policy for the future requires three important preconditions to be met.

Firstly, the role of nuclear energy must be secured, as the demand for electricity will double by the end of the decade as industrial output expands, and nuclear reactors are the only way to generate sufficient quantities of electricity cheaply, safely and sustainably. He pointed out that the Paks nuclear power plant expansion project is currently carried out by American, German and French companies, in addition to the Russian prime contractor (Rosatom), which may offer hope for the return of peaceful international cooperation.

Secondly, the electrification of the transport sector, that has been politically decided in Europe, must be implemented. This is also not possible without global cooperation. Hungary is a good example in this regard, he said, as it has become an important meeting point between eastern and western players in the sector. The three largest German car manufacturers and the three largest Chinese producers of electric batteries will soon be present in Hungary and will cooperate as closely as possible.

The Mercedes Factory in Kecskemét (central Hungary). Photo via Facebook/Mercedes-Benz Gyár Kecskemét

Thirdly, he touched on the need to develop energy transport infrastructure. He underlined that the Hungarian government does not see diversification as the replacement of an energy source, but as the inclusion of new ones. This process is going ahead with great vigor, even though the EU does not support the development of infrastructure in South-East Europe, the minister noted, arguing that in 15 years’ time natural gas will no longer be part of the energy mix.

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