Lazar: Hungary seeks solution to Paks deal with EU

Budapest, March 13 (MTI) – The Hungarian governmnent is in talks with the European Union on the Paks nuclear upgrade and it seeks a solution which would guarantee a safe supply of fuel for the country, Janos Lazar, the head of the prime minister’s office, said.

The British business daily Financial Times wrote on Thursday that the European Commission had blocked a 12 billion euro agreement between Hungary and Russia for the expansion of the Paks nuclear power station. The decision was made at a meeting of EU commissioners in Brussels last week, the paper said.

The European Atomic Energy Community (Euratom) had earlier rejected the Paks deal on grounds that Russia should not be the sole supplier of fuel rods to Hungary. Hungary appealed the decision but the European Commission decided to agree with Euratom in the matter, the paper said.

Lazar told public Kossuth radio on Friday that it is not in the EU’s interest to block the Paks project as Hungary needs nuclear energy for cheap electricity and to curb environmental pollution. He said there are some parts of the Paks upgrade which Euratom and the EU approves and parts which it disputes. Euratom, for instance, would like to see other fuel suppliers besides Russia. During recent talks with Euratom, it seemed there was “good chance” for clearing up the issues, Lazar said.

“A solution acceptable for the European Commission, Russia and Hungary is in the making,” he said.

The Hungarian government said it expected to conclude the supply contracts after “intensive talks” within weeks, taking into account the concerns raised by the European Atomic Energy Community (Euratom).