Hungarian Prime Minister Orban blames EU climate change actions for soaring energy prices

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Gas pipelines are seen at a gas distribution center near the Serbian border in Kiskundorozsma, Hungary, September 28, 2021. REUTERS / Bernadett Szabo / File Photo

BUDAPEST, Oct. 8 (Reuters) – Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban on Friday accused the European Union’s action to fight climate change to be responsible for soaring energy prices, and said the Poland and Hungary would form a united front on this issue at the next European summit.

Soaring energy prices have fueled tensions between European Union countries over their green transition policies. Wealthy member states say this proves the need to pursue new climate change policies, but poorer countries in the EU fear they will push up consumer bills. Read more

Analysts said gas prices are the main driver of electricity costs in Europe, while the soaring cost of permits in the EU carbon market has contributed to about a fifth of the increase in electricity costs. price of electricity.

Orban, who faces elections next year, told public radio on Friday that “bureaucrats in Brussels” were fighting climate change by continuously raising the price of energy produced from coal and gas, which has resulted in an increase in household energy bills across Europe. .

Orban’s nationalist government in 2010 capped gas and electricity price increases for households, effectively freezing prices and these measures have been in place ever since.

“These decisions (of the EU) must be withdrawn (…) right now, gas prices are where they should be in 2035. Brussels is not the solution today, they are the problem, ”Orban said.

“The Poles, the Czechs and us Hungarians demand that the rules be withdrawn.”

Opposition to EU plans to extend carbon trading to the transport and heating sectors has come from rich and less wealthy states, as it would mean more costs would be passed on to consumers.

EU climate policy chief Frans Timmermans said emissions from the transport sector in Europe are on an upward trend. Left unchecked, it would thwart the EU’s goal of reducing net greenhouse gas emissions by at least 55% by 2030.

“It’s a commissioner called Timmermans who poses the biggest threat to us,” Orban said.

Report by Krisztina Than. Editing by Jane Merriman

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