About frozen EU money and the Kállay double dance
By Hungarian Community for Peace
Both Brussels and Moscow pay special attention to the
Viktor Orbán [Prime Minister elected five times] government's policy regarding the European Union and Russia. While
Brussels wants to force Hungary to obey the Western alliance's policy against
Russia, the Kremlin treats Hungary as an equal partner and respects its
sovereignty, which it supports by meeting additional gas transportation needs.
Although Brussels publicly links the disbursement of the
withheld 7.5 billion euros to the condition that our democratic institutions
function as it expects, the invisible stake is significantly higher. The EU
Commission wants the Hungarian government to abandon its policy of opening to
the East and not to veto the sanctions related to Russian energy carriers, nor
the so-called price cap. Brussels is being encouraged to do so by Washington,
and Brussels is slavishly complying with it.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov announced on Monday that
the case is being "closely monitored". Moscow's attitude towards us
obviously depends on whether the Hungarian government has a hostile attitude
towards Russia or, if not friendly, at least tries to show a neutral attitude
in relation to the circumstances. "Everything depends on how these changes
de facto develop," said the Russian spokesman.
While Brussels is trying to make Hungary choose between
money or good relations with Russia, Moscow has not made the delivery of
Russian gas and oil a political condition. It is proof that even though
Hungary, as a member of the EU, is on the Russian list of countries that are
unfriendly to Russia, the tap has not been turned off. It was not closed
because we were not even willing to negotiate about the EU sanctions related to
Russian gas and oil. True, we have to pay for gas in rubles. The Kremlin
clearly sees what it means for such a small country to maneuver in the stormy
sea of world politics, which is at the same time vulnerable to NATO and EU
allies and to Russian gas. Moscow not only simply understands our country's
commitment to the West, but also directly appreciates the government's policy
of balance, referred to as the "Kállay double danse".
It was only ten days ago that Evgeny Stanislavov, the
ambassador of the Russian Federation to Hungary, stated at a lecture-discussion
held by the Hungarian Community for Peace: "Hungary takes a responsible
position regarding the conflict in Ukraine, it understands the situation well,
including the situation of the Transcarpathian Hungarians and other minorities,
and does not add fuel to the fire”. And what is particularly important for us,
he said that "Hungary's energy security is guaranteed under the current
circumstances."
However, the "current circumstances" may
change, depending on where the Orbán government is going. Will he choose money
or good relations with Russia? He obviously wants both, the question is whether
there is a way to do it. If he makes concessions for EU money that harm Russia,
we may face problems similar to those in Western Europe. Maybe even bigger than
those, since our dependence on Russian gas is much greater than theirs: 80
percent.
The lesson is given. It is open question whether it is possible to answer it with the "Kállay double danse".
~ For more on this story watch this video
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