Minsk, Budapest to expand nuclear energy ties
Paks II construction site
May 29, Pozirk. Belarusian Energy Minister Viktar Karankievič and Hungarian Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó have signed a memorandum on nuclear energy ties after a meeting of the Belarusian-Hungarian economic cooperation commission in Minsk, the energy ministry’s press office reports.
The energy ministry and the CEO of Hungary’s Paks nuclear power plant have also approved a cooperation roadmap for 2024-2025, covering staff training, scheduled repairs and radioactive waste management.
The contractor in charge of expanding Paks capacity in a Russian-designed project may hire Belarusian construction workers, the ministry quoted Paks 2 CEO Gergely Jákli as saying.
Belarus and Hungary will share “best practices both in the field of equipment operation and personnel training,” said Juryj Šmakaŭ, a senior manager at the state-run utility company, Biełenerha.
Szijjártó and a large group of Hungarian businesspeople are in Minsk to discuss ties in sectors that are not covered by the European Union’s restrictions against Belarus.
Hungarian officials have repeatedly stated their opposition to the EU policy despite joining the bloc’s sanctions against Minsk.
Hungary is the only EU member to maintain official contacts with the Belarusian government, accused of human rights abuse.
Hungary's top diplomat offers Minsk cooperation in areas not covered by EU sanctions
May 29, Pozirk. Budapest is interested in closer ties with Belarus in agriculture, industry, pharmaceuticals and food security, areas that are not covered by the European Union’s restrictions, Belarusian state-run media report, citing Hungarian Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó. The Hungarian …