Budapest, January 6 (MTI) – Reacting to a report that the Russian president is planning to visit Hungary this spring, the Together (Egyutt) party said the government should consult with the parliamentary parties concerning its possible agenda.
Citing several sources, Nepszava daily on Tuesday said that Vladimir Putin is planning to visit Budapest in March.
Together called on Prime Minister Viktor Orban “not to do Putin another favour” but to renounce the agreement the Hungarian government concluded with Moscow last January on upgrading the Paks nuclear power plant and a related 10 billion euro Russian state loan.
Noting that several of Hungary’s gas storage facilities would be sold to Russia’s Gazprom under the agreement, the party said in a statement that the deal did not serve Hungary’s interests and would further increase Hungary’s energy dependence on Russia.
Green opposition party LMP called on Orban to tear up the Paks contract. Commenting on the report that Putin may visit Hungary, LMP co-leader Bernadett Szel said in a statement that a move to scrap the agreement would be the only positive outcome of a visit by the Russian president.
Speaking about Hungary’s long-term gas contract with Russia, Szel said Putin could use the price of gas as a political weapon. She said Orban should refuse to sign an agreement that fixes prices Hungary pays in the long term.
The Dialogue for Hungary party (PM) said it would initiate a joint demonstration to be staged by “democratic opposition parties” together with civil groups against the visit. The party will invite the Socialists, Together, the Democratic Coalition, LMP and the Hungarian Liberal Party, as well as organisers of recent civil demonstrations to join, party co-leader Timea Szabo told reporters.
Photo: parameter.sk