A memorandum of understanding on the construction of the Hungarian-Slovakian stretch of a North-South natural gas pipeline was signed in Košice (Kassa) on Monday.
The declaration of intent on cooperation with relation to the Eastring gas pipeline project was signed by Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Péter Szijjártó and Slovakian Minister of Economy Peter Žiga in the city’s historic town hall.
At the press conference following the signing ceremony, both ministers stressed that the new pipeline will reduce their countries’ dependence on Russian gas.
“The new pipeline will transport Romanian and Bulgarian natural gas, 30-40 billion cubic metres according to plan”, Mr. Žiga said.
Mr. Szijjártó stressed the fact that the Eastring pipeline’s feasibility study is being performed by a Hungarian company, and will be ready by 2018, adding that he hoped that similarly to Hungary and Slovakia every Central and Southern European county will be committed realising the new gas transport route.
He stressed that assuring the energy supply of Central Europe requires more pipelines, better interconnections, the North-South pipeline and a new source of gas, and that the development of infrastructure is paramount.
“One of the most critical issues for Central Europe is energy security”, he said, noting that Hungary has excellent capabilities to enable it to make a major contribution towards the realisation of energy security, together with Slovakia.
Mr. Szijjártó pointed out that Hungary has some 7 billion cubic metres of natural gas storage capacity. “It is no exaggeration to state that Hungarian-Slovakian energy cooperation is a success story, and we are striving to further improve opportunities for North-South gas transport”, the Minister added.
The Hungarian-Slovakian Joint Economic Committee held a session in Košice on Monday, and the minutes of the meeting were signed by the Committee’s Co-Chair, Parliamentary State Secretary Levente Magyar, and the Slovakian Ministry of Economy’s First State Secretary Ferencz Vojtech.
(Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade/MTI)
