Government officials, energy industry heads meet to discuss Brussels oil sanctions

The meeting was attended by the prime minister, his chief of staff and cabinet head, the finance and the innovation and technology ministers, the PM’s state secretary for EU affairs and the head of the Hungarian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, as well as the CEOs of state oil and gas company MOL and energy group MVM, and the head of the Hungarian energy sector authority, among others, Bertalan Havasi said in a statement.

After the European Commission released its latest package of sanctions against Russia, representatives of the Hungarian government underlined Hungary’s objection to further sanctions in their current form as they would threaten the country’s energy security and economy.

Ruling parties call on leftists to condemn EU’s new Russia sanctions

The ruling Fidesz-Christian Democrat alliance has called on MPs and MEPs of Hungary’s leftist opposition to “say a clear no” to the European Union’s new package of sanctions against Russia.

In a video message released on Thursday, Fidesz communications chief Istvan Hollik said the proposed European ban on oil imports would cause an instant jump in fuel prices.

Hungary’s left wing “has supported Brussels rather than Hungarians in many international disputes in recent years”, Hollik said. “We are now asking them not to do so,” said, adding that “party politics should not override Hungarian national interests”.