Hungarian minister urges Europe to build, not close, gas pipelines

Hungary’s Foreign Affairs and Trade Minister Peter Szijjarto said gas pipelines in Europe should be built, not closed, highlighting Bulgaria’s efforts compared to Ukraine’s recent actions.

Speaking at the start of construction for a new gas pipeline between Bulgaria and Greece in Kresna, Szijjarto called the project part of a "vertical corridor" to bring energy from Greek ports to Central Europe.

“Gas pipelines should not be closed, as Ukraine did. New ones should be built, as Bulgaria is doing,” Szijjarto wrote on Facebook. “While Ukraine put us in a difficult situation, Bulgaria reliably provides energy transport to Hungary.”

He added Hungary currently receives nearly 21 million cubic meters of gas daily via the Balkans — vital for its supply — and that the new Bulgarian pipeline will connect through Romania. The capacity of the pipeline on the Bulgaria-Romania border will need to be expanded further.

Szijjarto stressed that energy security in Central and Southeastern Europe is crucial for the whole continent. He called on the European Commission to fund infrastructure development and warned against plans that could undermine energy supply security.

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