Hungarian FM: cooperation with Georgia “critically important” for EU energy safety

Péter Szijjártó, the Hungarian Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade, on Friday said cooperation with Georgia was “critically important” for the future of Europe's energy security.

We are now trying to shift the EU's energy supply to sustainable, environmentally friendly, green, renewable energy sources. [...] The Caucasus will be able to produce a significant amount of renewable energy, and the EU will need this energy to operate safely. Now the question is whether the renewable energy produced in the Caucasus will reach Europe. It is simply a matter of infrastructure”, he said.

Szijjártó added the circumstances made the quadrilateral agreement, signed last year between Georgia, Azerbaijan, Romania and Hungary on building the Black Sea submarine electricity cable to connect the South Caucasus energy grid to Europe, “important”. 

• Georgia, Azerbaijan, Romania, Hungary sign Black Sea Submarine Electricity Cable deal

The official also noted the Hungarian side could play “an important role” in bringing the Caucasian renewable energy to Europe.