energy | Visegrád Post

France and nuclear power, an opportunity for Europe?

Thibaud Gibelin December 29, 2021

In our industrial societies, energy policies are steeped in paradox. Ideology versus pragmatism, ecology versus economic appetites, idealistic sobriety versus materialist hedonism. Nothing should be further from energy policies than announcement effects or emotional reactions. But in our troubled times nothing escapes…

Politics

Poland and V4 acting against absurdities of EU climate policy

Olivier Bault December 23, 2021

Poland – Meeting on 16 December to discuss, among other things, soaring energy prices, the EU-27 were unable to agree on two issues that are crucial to Europe’s future: the CO2 emissions trading system (ETS) and the energy “taxonomy”, that is, the…

News

Emmanuel Macron in Budapest talks to Orbán, the V4 and the Hungarian opposition

The Editorial Board December 14, 2021

France / Hungary / V4 - The President of the French Republic, Emmanuel Macron, visited Hungary on Monday, December 13, where he began with a visit to the tomb of the Marxist philosopher Ágnes Heller, before meeting with his Hungarian counterpart János…

News

Poland introduces anti-inflation shield

The Editorial Board November 29, 2021

Poland – On 25 November, Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki announced that an anti-inflation shield would be put in place to offset rising energy prices. The principle of the Polish shield is simple: it is essentially a matter of reducing the share…

News

Completion of the Baltic Pipe underwater section

The Editorial Board November 24, 2021

Poland – While the German-Russian Nord Stream 2 pipeline project is facing new administrative complications that could delay its full commissioning, the Baltic Pipe, considered by the EU as “essential to the integration of European energy networks” as it will carry Norwegian…

Society

Neptun Deep gas project: Exxon sells its shares to Romgaz

Yann Caspar November 12, 2021

Romania – It seems that Romanian company Romgaz has reached an agreement with US giant ExxonMobil to buy the US company’s 50% stake in the Neptun Deep gas field project, located in the Black Sea, for a sum of 1.06 billion dollars.…

Politics

EU and energy: should we laugh or cry?

Yann Caspar November 8, 2021

European Union – Launched by the European Commission in 2019 and tied to a “climate package” of 12 targets in July 2021, the European Green Deal has again been much discussed in recent weeks, with the energy choices it entails being blamed…

News

V4 countries opposed to Green Pact for Europe

The Editorial Board November 6, 2021

Central Europe/European Union – Relations between the Visegrád Group (V4) countries and the European Union’s governing bodies are unlikely to improve in the near future. Besides the issues of non-European illegal immigrants, LGBT rights, and the rule of law, the Green Pact…

News

Russian–Hungarian gas deal throws cold water on relations with Ukraine

The Editorial Board September 30, 2021

Hungary/Ukraine – As we reported a few days ago, on 27 September the Hungarian energy group MVM signed a 15-year gas purchase contract with the Russian company Gazprom, under the aegis of Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó. “Houses are not heated by political…

Politics

The Three Seas Initiative shows what Europe could be without the EU

Olivier Bault July 26, 2021

Central Europe – “America is eager to expand our partnership with you. We welcome stronger ties of trade and commerce as you grow your economies and we are committed to securing your access to alternate sources of energy so Poland and its…

Politics

When “German moral responsibility” turns into a cynical game

David Engels February 19, 2021

Ignoring European neighbours to better trade with Russia or when “German moral responsibility” turns into a cynical game. A recent interview given by German president Steinmeier, underlining the historical responsibility that his country bears, has been greeted by fierce protests in Poland…

Society

How energy plays a big part in the gap between the Commission and Hungary

Antoine de Longevialle April 25, 2018

By Antoine de Longevialle. Hungary - ‘For seven years I’ve been working to build a foreign policy based on our national interests, rather than on the mentality and logic of a reluctant ally. We’re doing well, but there’s one piece of the…