Cheap Russian Gas Is a Massive Scam – Budapest’s Mayor

According to Budapest Mayor Gergely Karácsony on Facebook on Sunday, Oct. 16, the Prime Minister Viktor Orban’s administration’s claim that Russia provides Hungary with cheap gas is untrue, harming the nation’s standing and placing it on the wrong side of history.

“What happened again, as it has so many times throughout Hungary’s history, is that the government is forcing the nation onto the losing side of history as well as the incorrect side. They are unable to discern between the attacker and the victim, which is not only morally reprehensible but also detrimental to the economy, Karácsony emphasized.

“There is no dilemma that we should dial back on humanity in return for access to cheaper Russian gas,” he claimed, adding that “no one has ever sponsored a war from renewable energy.”

Early September polling by Publicus Institute found that 48 percent of Hungarians anticipate the prime minister to condemn Russia more harshly than he has for the full-scale war on Ukraine (34 percent of respondents do not have such a need, and 18 percent did not answer the question).

According to Gergely Karácsony, “cheap Russian gas is a massive fraud,” and if it actually did exist, Hungarians wouldn’t have to pay such expensive utility bills as they already do.

According to Gergely Karácsony, “cheap Russian gas is a massive fraud,” and if it actually did exist, Hungarians wouldn’t have to pay such expensive utility bills as they already do.

“It is obvious that (Russian President Vladimir) Putin charges a very high price for Hungary’s gas, and our higher utility costs will ultimately benefit Putin.”

“Cheap Russian gas is a huge scam. Russian gas is very expensive instead! What has happened again, which has happened so many times in Hungarian history: not only is the government pushing the country to the wrong side of history, but also to the losing side. Not only – although that would be enough – is it morally unprotected that they are unable to distinguish between an aggressor and a victim, but they are also economically harmful. Because cheap Russian gas is a lie. There is no cheap Russian gas, because if there was, we wouldn’t have to pay brutally increased utility bills. This is clear now that Putin provides gas at a very high price to Hungary, and our increased utility bills will ultimately enrich Putin. The reduction in electricity was actually cut off by the long-term gas purchase contract signed last summer, this has nothing to do with the war or sanctions that do not affect gas trade anyway. So for the unacceptable price policy of the government, we get nothing. We must get out of Putin’s shadow, we must switch from fossil energies to renewable ones, we must choose energy independence over energy dependence. Budapest is doing this. I was talking about this today too, unmistakably”, the statement reads.

In an article published in the Budapest Times on October 15, Karacsony attacked the administration for taking a “gray posture” on Russia’s war in Ukraine.