Szijjarto: Russian gas deliveries to Hungary uninterrupted

Speaking at a press conference, Peter Szijjarto noted serious tensions in international politics which he partly attributed to energy supply disruptions.

“Most recently uncertainty surrounding energy supplies has unfortunately become a feature of crises in some countries and regions,” he said, noting dwindling Russian natural gas deliveries to several countries over the past few days.

“I’d like to reassure everybody that Russian gas deliveries to Hungary are not faltering but are going uninterrupted on schedule in line with valid agreements,” the minister said. The largest amounts of Russian gas arrive from Austria and Serbia: 12-14 million cubic metres a day from Austria and 10-16 million cubic metres from Serbia, Szijjarto said, adding that deliveries through Slovakia and Croatia were also uninterrupted.

The minister called it a right decision by the Hungarian government to conclude last autumn a long-term gas purchase agreement with Russia’s Gazprom. “Had we not done that, we would have been in big trouble over the past few months, as would be in big trouble even now,” he said.

Szijjarto also highlighted the importance of connecting Hungary’s gas network with that of the its neighbours’ in which way uninterrupted deliveries are ensured “from the east, west, north and south”.