‘Absolute insanity’ – Hungary slams EU plan to halt Russian energy imports
The European Commission’s plan to completely phase out Russian fuel imports violates the sovereignty of EU member states by depriving them of the right to choose their energy sources, according to Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto.
Brussels has outlined plans to end the bloc’s energy reliance on Moscow by completely eliminating imports of oil, gas, and nuclear fuel in the coming years.
Hungary obtains over 80% of its gas from Russia via pipeline, with LNG playing a supplementary role. Budapest has continued to strengthen its energy ties with Moscow despite the sanctions introduced by the EU in the wake of the Ukraine conflict.
“The forced, artificially ideological-based exclusion of natural gas, crude oil, and nuclear fuel originating from Russia will lead to severe price increases in Europe, seriously harming the sovereignty of European countries, and cause major difficulties for European companies,” Szijjarto said in a video he shared on his Facebook page on Tuesday, adding that “what was announced is absolute insanity.”
It will also put Europe's energy needs at the mercy of Americans, and Americans don't appear to be too merciful with a commercially-focused President.
“Everyone in Brussels has lost their common sense,” the foreign minister exclaimed, emphasizing that Budapest would not allow the European Commission (EC) to violate Hungary’s sovereignty and would “uphold the right to source energy from where it reliably arrives and where it arrives at a low cost.”
Earlier in the day, the EC published a “roadmap” outlining its ambitious strategy to end reliance on Russian energy by the end of 2027. The bloc’s executive branch said it would propose legislation in June requiring all member states to draft “national plans” to terminate their imports of Russian gas, nuclear fuel, and oil.
Slovakia’s Prime Minister Robert Fico also criticized the plan, calling the proposal “economic suicide.” He added that Slovakia would push for changes in the legislative process.
Brussels announced its intention to wean EU members off Russian energy shortly after the escalation of the Ukraine conflict in February 2022. Supplies of US liquefied natural gas (LNG) have since replaced much of the cheaper pipeline gas previously delivered by Russia.
Although Russian pipeline gas supplies to the EU have plummeted, the bloc has been increasing its imports of LNG from the sanction-hit nation. Last year, Russia still accounted for around 19% of the EU’s total gas and LNG supply, according to the EC.
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German intelligence service pauses AfD extremist designation pending court decision
The Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution declared the temporary suspension of the extremist designation in a Cologne administrative court.
"The Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution today declared in the court proceedings -- without recognizing any legal obligation -- that it would provisionally suspend the classification of the AfD as a 'confirmed right-wing extremist movement' until the court has ruled on the urgent application," the office said.
The intelligence agency used a standstill agreement to suspend the designation until a court decision in the AfD appeal.
AfD has failed in two other legal attempts to fight the designation.
AfD leaders Alice Weidel and Tino Chrupalla said on X that the pause of the designation is a "partial success" for the party.
The extremist designation was announced May 2 based on a 1,000 page report that included evidence the AfD was working against Germany's democratic system.
Is this what I call Satanic Reversal - when you accuse your opponent of doing the very thing that you are doing?
Democracy is under attack in Germany, but is it by the AfD or the other parties who want to block the AfD from running in the next election, which it would likely win? This is Romania revisited! All right-wing parties in Europe are under threat as democracy crumbles on the continent.
The FOPC said in a statement at the time that AfD is "incompatible with the free democratic order."
It was the first time that a political party with full Bundestag representation had been designated as an extremist organization.
The AfD holds 152 of the 630 Bundestag seats.
The designation empowered the intelligence agency, subject to judicial approval, to intensify AfD surveillance.
Turkey is not in Europe but is ever so close. And, they are going through the same attack on democracy as a few European countries are.
Turkey blocks arrested opposition leader Ekrem Imamoglu's X account
X has filed a court challenge to the government-ordered block.
May 8 (UPI) -- Turkey Thursday ordered X to restrict access to the account of jailed political opposition leader and Mayor of Istanbul Ekrem Imamoglu.
X's Global Government Affairs team said in a statement that it is complying with Turkey's order to block Imamoglu's account but will challenge it.
"We strongly disagree with the order and are challenging the order in court. The order was received from the Turkish Information and Communication Technologies Authority. These orders require X to block content in Turkey that is available in the rest of the world," it said.
A post on Imamoglu's X account Thursday said it was blocked by a legal demand.
Related
According to the BBC, a lawyer representing X has filed a court challenge to the block order.
Imamoglu's Republican People's Party told the BBC that the government of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's is taking another step in a coup attempt.
"Now they won't even allow him to speak to the public," said CHP Secretary General Selin Sayek Boke. "It clearly shows the fear of those in power that they will be losing power. It's a coup attempt against the next ballot box."
Opinion polls show Imamoglu would win an election if allowed to run in 2028.
X said defying the order to block Imamoglu's account could lead to Turkey banning X entirely from the country.
"X complied with the court order while we challenge the order in court because we believe keeping the platform accessible in Turkey is vital to supporting freedom of expression and access to information, particularly following natural disasters and other emergencies," the statement said.
When Imamoglu was taken into custody March 19, he said, "I'm sorry to say, a handful of minds trying to usurp the will of our nation have used my beloved police officers, the security forces of this country, as instruments of evil, and have gathered hundreds of police officers at the door of my home, the home of 16 million Istanbulites."
Imamoglu was formally arrested on corruption charges and removed from office in March, sparking thousands of people who believe his arrest is politically motivated to protest.
He denies committing crimes and had been urging his supporters to protest.
For people using VPNs Imamoglu's X account in Turkey is still accessible.
