Hungary opposes EU sanctions on Russian nuclear sector

(EurActiv, 27 Sep 2022) Hungary, which is highly dependent on Russian energy, said Monday (26 September) it staunchly opposed European Union sanctions on the Russian nuclear industry, following EU talks on the issue at the weekend.

Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto told a meeting in Vienna of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) that “some entities in the European Union are…continuously making attempts to put hurdles and obstacles in (the) way of nuclear investments.”

“I want to make it very clear here that we do consider all actions carried out… to put obstacles on the way of the construction of our nuclear power plants as attacks against our sovereignty.”

The landlocked central European country is exempted from the partial EU embargo on Russian oil and rejects calls for other sanctions on Russia’s energy industry, even indirect ones on areas such as construction, engineering or IT.

Sanctions on nuclear investments were a “red line” for Hungary and would be “a violation of European regulations”, Szijjarto told the United Nations nuclear watchdog.

“We would never support… any sanctions that would endanger our safe energy supply,” he said.

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EurActiv, 27 Sep 2022: Hungary opposes EU sanctions on Russian nuclear sector