“There are three major development projects currently underway or under negotiation in Hungarian-Slovenian cooperation, which serve Hungary’s energy security and interests to a high degree”, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Péter Szijjártó stressed in a telephone statement to Hungarian news agency MTI during his official visit to Ljubljana.
Mr. Szijjártó met with Slovenian Foreign Minister Karl Erjavec in the Slovenian capital, and will also be meeting with Minister of Infrastructure Peter Gašperšič and State Secretary Jure Leben.
“The interconnection of the two countries’ gas systems is in process, which is on the list of priority EU investments, as well as the interconnection of the two countries’ electricity networks”, Mr. Szijjártó said. “This means that within a few years we will be able to distribute 1.3 billion cubic metres of natural gas between Hungary and Slovenia, which will lead to an extreme increase in Hungary’s energy security, because the Hungarian gas supply will have access to a new source”, he added.
With relation to the interconnection of the Hungarian and Slovenian electricity systems, the Minister highlighted that all projects were already complete on the Hungarian side of the border, and Slovenia is expected to be ready by the end of 2018. As a result of the interconnection, the two countries will be able to purchase electricity from each other if necessary, he explained.
In addition, the expansion of the port of Koper and its connecting railway track has also begun. Hungarian exporters that use sea routes for transport most often use the port of Koper, and accordingly Hungary has a special international interest in participating in the development of the port and the railway system that leads to it, Mr. Szijjártó emphasised.
“We have agreed that Hungary is also prepared to contribute financially in this development project, and in return Hungarian companies will be able to establish a presence in the port of Koper within the framework of long-term lease agreements, in addition to which Hungarian enterprises will have the opportunity to become involved in the railway development project and Hungarian railways transport companies will have the opportunity to participate in the holding that will be established around the project”, the Minister explained, adding that “it is in our interests for the transport of goods from the busy port of Koper to pass through Hungary”.
Mr. Szijjártó also told the press that the parties had agreed to open two new border crossing stations between Hungary and Slovenia. By 2019, people will be able to travel from Budapest to Ljubljana without having to leave the motorway, because by then the last Hungarian phase of construction of the dual carriageway will also be complete, he explained.
The Minister pointed out that Hungary and Slovenia are also each other’s political allies with regard to the most important regional issues. According to Mr. Szijjártó, the two countries also have a similar view on mass illegal immigration.
“In our view, Europe’s external borders must be protected and the causes of migration must be handled where they come into existence”, he stressed.
The Minister also said that both countries support further EU expansion in the direction of the Western Balkans. “It is in the interests of both Hungary and Slovenia for there to be peace and stability in the Western Balkans, because that has a fundamental effect on both countries’ security”, he stressed.
Hungary and Slovenia are doing everything possible to maintain the closest possible relations within NATO. Mr. Szijjártó indicated that the Hungarian Air Force was participating in the defence of Slovenian air space.
Hungary would also like to tighten cooperation between Slovenia and the countries of the Visegrád Group (V4). There will be a joint meeting of foreign ministers from the V4, Austria and Slovenia in Budapest on 10 July, and this will be the first official program of the upcoming Hungarian presidency of the V4, the Minister indicated.
In closing, Mr. Szijjártó added that the fact that Hungarian oil company MOL was currently the third largest player on the Slovenian fuel market represented a great success for Hungary. There are currently 45 MOL petrol stations operating in Slovenia.
“We hope that cooperation between MOL and Slovenia’s state energy company will lead to an improvement in Hungary’s energy and economic situation through the establishment of a major Southeast European energy cooperation between the Slovakian energy company and MOL”, Mr. Szijjártó said.