Hungary and Serbia to start joint oil pipeline project
- The construction of the oil pipeline between Hungary and Serbia will commence soon, announced Hungarian Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó in Belgrade. Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán held "strategic consultations" with Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić in the Serbian capital that day.
Szijjártó stated that the pipeline, including a section approximately 175-190 kilometres long in Hungary, will be completed by 2027 and will ensure fuel supplies to Serbia and the region. He also added that Hungary and Serbia will double the capacity of connections between their power grids by 2028.
The Hungarian Foreign Minister noted that many countries in Central Europe receive gas supplies through Serbia after Ukraine stopped transmitting Russian gas to Europe. Hungary receives about 7.4 billion cubic metres of gas this way annually, he said.
Szijjártó assessed that Ukraine is "one of the main reasons" for the energy crisis in Europe.
Ukraine has left Central Europe in need. Meanwhile, Serbia acts as a responsible, reliable, and honest transit country, ensuring gas supplies, he stated.
Commenting on Friday's talks between the Hungarian and Serbian delegations, President Vučić wrote on Instagram that the "strategic dialogue concerns the geopolitical situation and foreign policy, the economy, and cooperation in the areas of defence and security, including the development of the arms industry." The relations between Serbia and Hungary are currently the best in history, the Serbian president emphasised.
