Hungary opposes Russia’s proposed oil embargo
Budapest, May 6, LETA – AFP. Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán on Friday criticized European Commission (EC) President Urzula von der Leien for threatening the unity of the European Union (EU) with a plan to ban Russian oil imports, violating the red line.
“The president of the EC is deliberately or unknowingly attacking European unity,” Orban told state radio. “We’ve made it clear from the start that there will be a red line, and they’ve crossed that red line.”
The EC presented a new package of sanctions against Russia to EU member states on Wednesday, providing for a complete embargo on Russian oil, as well as sanctions on dozens of people.
Leiena said on Wednesday that the EU will phase out Russian crude oil supplies within six months and refined products by the end of the year.
Hungary and Slovakia, which are extremely dependent on Russian oil, will have until the end of 2023.
The embargo will be like an “atomic bomb thrown at the Hungarian economy,” says Orban, adding that the transition period for Hungary until the end of 2023 is not enough.
“The transformation of Hungary’s energy transmission and supply system can be completed in five years,” he said.
He said that the EC’s proposal was to send Leiena back to continue working on it.
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