MEP: Hungary energy poverty below half of EU average

Gyurk said the figures were indicative of the success of the Hungarian government’s utility cap programme. He said “record high” energy poverty in the community was a result of the EU’s “failed sanctions policy”, adding that 10 percent of European families had not been able to properly heat their homes last winter. However, that ratio in Hungary was only 4.7 percent, he said.

According to the EC report, energy poverty in Germany is 6.6 percent, in France 10.9 percent, and in Romania 15.2 percent.

Gyurk insisted that “these facts will not prevent Brussels from demanding that Hungary should remove the caps from utility prices” and called the EU position “absurd”.

“Protecting households against high energy prices is an integral part of national sovereignty . we will continue to firmly support the utility caps programme,” the MEP said.