Orban shocked Croats, regrets Hungary lost its sea access due to oil

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen met with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban yesterday due to Hungary's opposition to a joint EU embargo on Russian oil. Von der Leyen said after the meeting that progress had been made and that some issues with Orban had been clarified.

"We have made progress, but there is still work to do," she added, which actually means that no concrete agreement has yet been reached with Hungary.

The country is conditioning its consent to the sixth European package of sanctions against Moscow on guarantees that it will have a secure energy supply if an embargo on the purchase of Russian oil is introduced.

As explained by a European diplomat to Agence France-Presse, Hungary would need a new oil pipeline connecting it to Croatia, which has access to the sea, for a secure oil supply. Therefore, it is seeking guarantees that Zagreb will commit to building this infrastructure, as well as guarantees of European financial resources.

However, it seems that Croatia's access to the sea, which allows it an import route for alternative oil, is precisely the source of frustration for Orban. At least, that is how it can be interpreted from a statement he made last week. In that statement, he implied that Croatian sea access had been taken away from Hungary.

"Those who have the sea and ports can bring oil by tankers. If they hadn't taken our sea, we would also have a port," Orban said in a radio interview, referring to the Croatian coast that was once part of Hungary, reports Politico.

Let us recall that all 27 member states must be unanimous for sanctions to be imposed. The sanctions proposal lists certain exemptions, but both Slovakia and Hungary consider them insufficient.

Hungary is the country most vehemently opposing the European embargo on Russian oil and has already requested a five-year delay for itself.

Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto said on Monday evening that Hungary cannot accept the proposed package of European sanctions against Russia until its concerns are addressed.

Prime Minister Orban had previously said that the Commission's proposal would have the effect of an "atomic bomb for Hungary."

"It would destroy our stable energy supply," he added.