EU blocks Hungary-Russia deal on Paks expansion

Brussels (MTI) – The European Commission has blocked a 12 billion euro agreement signed between Hungary and Russia for the expansion of the Paks nuclear power station, British business daily Financial Times reported on Thursday citing unnamed sources.

The details of the decision have been kept secret but it was made at a meeting in Brussels last week of all 28 EU commissioners, including Hungary’s Tibor Navracsics, the paper said.

According to the paper, many EU officials also expressed concerns that Moscow was using energy policy to divide Europe. The approval of the European Atomic Energy Community (Euratom) is required for nuclear fuel supply contracts signed by European Union member states and Euratom refused to approve Hungary’s plans to import nuclear fuel exclusively from Russia, the paper added.