Political analyst: Hungary’s oil dependence on Russia is Orban’s corruption scheme
26 July 2024 16:11
ЕКСКЛЮЗИВ
Hungary and Slovakia’s dependence on Russian energy is only partly a political story. In reality, it is a corruption scheme in which leading Eastern European politicians, including Viktor Orban, have been involved. Political analyst Volodymyr Tsybulko told Komersant ukrainskyi
about this in an exclusive commentary.
According to the expert, the key problem lies in the technological features of the region’s oil refineries. And these features are that the refineries are built “for Russia”.
“The fact is that the Hungarian, Slovak, and partly Czech refining industries were designed to process Russian Urals export oil. This is a peculiar, very sulphurous oil. At one time, the Western Ukrainian refineries that used this oil used to joke that more sulphur was coming to Western Ukraine through oil pipelines than the local enterprise Sulphur produces in Lviv region,”
– the expert said.
But the peculiarity of Hungary is that, unlike other countries, it has not taken any measures to modernise its facilities. It seems that it was very profitable for someone to tie the country so tightly to Russia.
“The Hungarians did not take any precautions, did not remodel anything during this time. The impression is that this is just a kind of party purse for Orban, just like the construction of the Paks-2 nuclear power plant (built by Rosatom using Russian technology – ed,)
– says Tsybulko and emphasises the financial and corruption aspect of the issue:
“As far as I know, the same German plants have been completely re-equipped. I understand that both Slovak and Hungarian politicians receive lobbying funds for their party activities from Russian oil suppliers. This is a corrupt deal that Orban is defending and giving it a special political connotation,”
– commented Volodymyr Tsybulko.
Hungary vs Ukraine
Today’s Hungary is a long-term supporter of Russia and an enemy of Ukraine. Among other things, Hungary is delaying the adoption of legislation that would allow Ukraine to receive up to €2 billion from the EU for weapons at the expense of profits from frozen Russian assets.
After a lengthy debate, EU member states agreed in May to use the proceeds of about €190 billion of frozen Russian assets held in the Belgian depository Euroclear to buy weapons for Ukraine. However, Hungary opposed this, refusing to provide unanimous EU support for each payment to Ukraine. At the same time, Hungary does not seem to object in general, but has concerns about the automation of payments.
The situation is complicated by the fact that Hungary took over the EU presidency for six months on 1 July, which will give it more influence, making it even harder for EU officials to convince it.
At the same time, Hungary will not block NATO’s decisions on Ukraine, but it will not support them either.
Meanwhile, the EU is looking for a new strategy: how to help Ukraine without Hungary’s consent. And Hungary itself has panicked because of the suspension of Russian oil transit.
More news in the Kommersant Ukrainian telegram channel – https://t.me/komersant_ukrainskyi.
