Duty free Ukrainian agricultural products are causing damages to local farmers. Continue reading
Ukraine is using blackmail against Hungary to soften its firm stance on Ukrainian grain imports, Mandiner has learned. According to the news outlet, Ursula von der Leyen is also involved, even though the European Commission’s president denies the claims.
As reported by Hungary Today, Hungary, along with other countries in the region, has banned imports of Ukrainian agricultural products because their low prices are detrimental to farmers, and Ukraine uses chemicals and processes that are banned in the EU.
According to Mandiner, Ukraine’s Ukrtransnafta recently approached Hungarian state oil and gas company MOL saying it would increase the transit fee for crude oil to Hungary via the Friendship (Druzhba) oil pipeline in two steps. The two companies are in ongoing negotiations on the level of the respective fees.
According to the news site, Ukrtransnafta informed the Hungarian company that Ukraine considers the restrictions on Ukrainian agricultural products too strict and the Hungarian position too rigid. According to Mandiner, Ukraine has received a message from European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen that if Hungary continues to take measures to protect local farmers,
Kiev should feel free to stop oil deliveries via the Friendship pipeline to Hungary.
Mandiner recalled that The Washington Post recently reported that according to leaked recordings, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has already threatened in private to blow up the pipeline, which is vital for Hungarian industry.
The brutal efforts to drag Hungary into the war with all its might are becoming increasingly evident,”
Tamás Deutsch, a Fidesz MEP, reacted to the news. Referring to Zelensky’s alleged threats, he said “such a move (i.e., blowing up the pipeline) is an act of terrorism against a member state of the European Union, a NATO member state, and it is right that both the European Union and NATO should act in the strongest possible terms in relation to the preparation of a terrorist act against one of its members.”
The politician also called on Ursula von der Leyen to immediately clarify the allegations against her.
This is fake news. President Von der Leyen has never been in contact with the CEO mentioned in the articles and has never proposed any action on the Friendship pipeline to anyone,”
the European Commission’s Representation in Hungary wrote to Telex.
Featured photo via the European Commission
