While the international press have been chewing over the “pipeline war” and weighing up the consequences of Hungary signing up for the Russian South Stream gas pipeline project alongside Serbia, Austria and Italy, the move has also met with criticism from rival parties inside Hungary. Chief among their concerns is the secretive nature of the agreement and fears that Hungary is turning its back on the EU.
Main opposition party Fidesz has called a parliamentary meeting to discuss the South Stream gas pipeline tomorrow morning at the latest, writes Népszabadság. The party wants the government to inform Parliament about the details of the construction before the agreement is signed in Moscow on Thursday.
Fidesz caucus leader Tibor Navracsics said the government was keeping secrets related to the project, after it had been revealed that Finance Minister János Veres had visited Moscow several times to discuss the agreement.
In his blog, Gyurcsány wrote that the opposition was wrong to say that Hungary is turning against Europe if the agreement of the South Stream is signed, as the French, Greeks, and Bulgarians have also made agreements with Russia. He added that it was in Hungary’s interests that both the South Stream and the Nabucco pipelines are built so that the country has the freedom of choice.
The smaller governing party SZDSZ will be represented at the Parliamentary session called by Fidesz, Economy Minister Csaba Kákosy and Chairman János Kóka said on Wednesday. Liberal coalition partner SZDSZ believes that Hungary’s gas supply is not only a question of energy politics but also of national security, and the party would support only such an agreement that would secure a safe and reliable gas supply, writes Klubrádió, based on a report by MTI.
