Hungary in talks to redirect all Russian gas shipments to Turkstream

BUDAPEST: Hungary is in talks with Russia about redirecting all of its gas shipments under a long-term supply deal to the Turkstream pipeline that brings gas to Hungary via Serbia, Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto said on Monday.

This is needed to ensure security of supply as the levels of gas shipments from Austria into Hungary are lowered by insecurity in Western Europe’s pipeline system, Szijjarto said.

“We are receiving on a daily basis a steady volume of 32-33 million cubic meters of gas, we get half of this amount via Turkstream via Serbia every day — this shows that the southern shipping route is the most stable, predictable and secure,” he said in a video posted on Facebook.

“This is why there are talks underway about redirecting all the gas shipments arriving within the framework of the long-term Russian gas supply deal to the southern route, as we can see that the uncertainty on the western pipelines reduces the amount of gas arriving from Austria under the long term supply deal.”

Szijjarto said Hungary was receiving about one-third of the contracted amount from Russia on the Austrian pipeline and 100% via Serbia, which means that overall, Russia is delivering 88% of the contracted daily volumes under Hungary’s long-term deal.

Under the deal signed last year, before the start of the war in neighbouring Ukraine, Hungary receives 3.5 billion cubic metres (bcm) of gas per year via Bulgaria and Serbia under its long-term deal with Russia and a further 1 bcm via a pipeline from Austria.

The agreement with Gazprom is for 15 years, with an option to modify purchased quantities after 10 years.