Opposition comments on possible Orban-Putin meeting

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.