Magyar
EU member states have reached an agreement on the Russian oil embargo. Charles Michel, president of the Council of Europe, announced that the embargo would first apply to two-thirds of oil imported from Russia. However, crude oil coming through the pipeline is a temporary exception, so Hungary’s oil imports are not affected, for the time being.
The dependence of EU member states on Russian oil was already on the agenda of the EU’s central institutions before the outbreak of the Russian-Ukrainian conflict, as it presented a danger that the Russian side could try to interfere in EU policy by threatening to cut off supplies. Thus, with the outbreak of the war, the idea of imposing a sanction to limit Russian oil imports served a twofold purpose: on the one hand, the EU wanted to deprive Russia of its economic superiority regarding oil, and on the other, to express that attacking Ukraine would not remain without consequences.
Russia considers the measure unfair, and former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev said the oil embargo is aimed at ordinary citizens, forcing the Russian government to cut back. Russian leadership refuses to admit that the oil embargo was imposed because of the war, so Russia continues its offensive in the eastern Ukrainian regions.
After the Council’s announcement, Viktor Orban said that with our temporary exemption from the restrictions on Russian oil imports, “they have defended the reduction in utility charges”. How long can this protection last? Would it be worthwhile for Hungary to look for other alternatives if, in the future, the EU would expect us to join the embargo?
In the Pulzus application, we asked our users if they were satisfied with the current decision. 53% of respondents agree to some degree with the measure, while 24% do not position themselves in either direction, preferring to remain neutral.
Do you think it is a good solution for Hungary to stay out of the restrictions on Russian oil imports for the time being?
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