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Hungary-Croatia relations at low point, says FM Szijjarto
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Zagreb, July 9 (MTI) – Bilateral relations between Hungary and Croatia are at an all-time low and this undermines Hungary’s interests, Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto said at a meeting with the leader of the Croatian opposition in Zagreb on Thursday.
Tensions between the two countries have accumulated over a long-standing dispute between Hungarian oil and gas company MOL and the government of Croatia over MOL’s Croatian peer INA, in which MOL has a stake, as well as the failure to construct a gas interconnector.
Hungary needs to be able to count on Croatia as a strong ally and strong strategic partner, Szijjarto said after talks with Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) leader Tomislav Karamarko.
On the topic of energy security, the minister said Croatia has so far failed to honour its commitments to Hungary and the European Union. “The fact that Croatia will not invest in the construction of interconnectors suitable for reverse gas transmission between the two countries, has a negative impact on Hungary’s energy security,” he said. Szijjarto said Hungary would like to see relations between oil and gas companies INA and MOL serving as a strong incentive in the cooperation of Hungary and Croatia.