There is still no agreement on an EU oil embargo against Russia. Hungary, the Czech Republic and Slovakia are pushing for exemptions for their imports. The Hungarian government is demanding financial compensation of 15 to 18 billion euros for impending failures. For EU diplomats, this is “unreal and immoral”.
Incidentally, last week the demand was still 700 to 750 million euros so that Hungary would waive an EU oil embargo against Russia, reports the portal “Politico”. According to voices from the EU, such “negotiation” during the war in Ukraine is unacceptable. Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijarto had reasoned that Hungary needed this amount for the overall modernization of its energy sector. Hungarian refineries are designed for Russian oil.
The European Commission had proposed to stop imports of Russian crude oil within six months because of the war in Ukraine. As a compromise, the Commission proposes to give Hungary and Slovakia until the end of 2024 and the Czech Republic until mid-2024 to fully implement the oil import ban. The proposal does not go far enough for the government in Budapest.
Nehammer understands Hungary’s blockade
Chancellor Karl Nehammer shows understanding for the Hungarian position. “It should be clear that the countries that are more dependent on Russian oil also have a perspective on how they will continue to supply the raw material,” the Austrian government leader said on Tuesday during a meeting with his Czech counterpart Petr Fiala. in Prague. Luxembourg’s foreign minister, Jean Asselborn, had previously said, according to the ARD “Morgenmagazin” that a few points still had to be settled in the dispute with Hungary over an oil embargo against Russia, “but the will is there”.
The EU will not respond to Hungary’s demand for billions of aid from the European Union in return for approval of the embargo. “It just isn’t possible,” Asselborn says, according to the AFP agency. One solution could be to extend the transition period for Hungary “not to months, but years” as proposed.
Source: Krone
I’m Wayne Wickman, a professional journalist and author for Today Times Live. My specialty is covering global news and current events, offering readers a unique perspective on the world’s most pressing issues. I’m passionate about storytelling and helping people stay informed on the goings-on of our planet.
