Russian President Vladimir Putin has awarded the Order of Friendship to Péter Szijjártó, Hungary’s minister of foreign affairs and trade, in recognition of his “great contribution to developing bilateral relations and industrial and investment cooperation.” The related decree was published on Russia’s official portal of legal information.
In Octoner Hungary together with Croatia started receiving Russian natural gas via a new route: the gas is supplied by the TurkStream gas pipeline and further across the national gas transmission systems of Bulgaria, Serbia, and Hungary. Supplies via this route were made possible thanks to a new gas trunkline built in Hungary by FGSZ Ltd., as well as the completion of expansion of the national gas transmission systems in Bulgaria and Serbia where operators Bulgartransgaz EAD and GASTRANS d.o.o. Novi Sad had brought compressor stations onstream.
Hungary and Russia have agreed to a settlement regarding the contamination of an oil pipeline in May 2019, and Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó had a crucial say in this agreement. The completion of the project, and the significant role Minister Szijjártó had on making it possible seems to be the reason behind the award by Russian President Putin. Via gas supplies and policy, Moscow is extending its influence in the EU and the Western Balkans.
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