BAKU, Azerbaijan, August 20. President Ilham Aliyev's visit to Hungary marks the country's next strategic move in its political leadership. Having solidified its reputation as a dependable partner across diverse domains, with a notable focus on the energy sector, Azerbaijan remains a focal point on the global stage. It's increasingly garnering interest as an appealing partner among its European counterparts.
Last visit of President Ilham Aliyev to Hungary, which took place on January 30, stands as clear proof of the all-encompassing and forward-moving growth within the strategic partnership between Azerbaijan and Hungary. As a result, this visit marked the commencement of a fresh chapter in the relationship between the two nations.
Hungary is an important actor in Europe, and, at the same time, the country also plays significant role in the work of the Organization of Turkic States. Hungary holds observer status in the OTS, and there is a clear line from Budapest to deepen relations with the Turkic world.
So, this is not surprising that Hungary has invited leaders from Türkiye, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, as well as former Prime Ministers of the Czech Republic, Austria, and Slovenia. Even the Head of Russia's Tatarstan, Rustam Minnikhanov, is expected. Undoubtedly, a significant delegation of leaders from various countries is arriving in Budapest, not solely for participation in the festive events dedicated to the country's national holiday - St. Stephen's Day.
Azerbaijani-Hungarian relations, in this regard, hold a unique position. Hungarian officials usually emphasize that these relations are based on shared culture and history, the legacy of which is a reliable and strong foundation, independent of the volatility of politics or economics. Furthermore, the economy also plays a significant role in these bilateral relations.
It was Azerbaijan that has established the infrastructural foundation to enable Hungary and other Balkan countries to explore the possibility of importing Azerbaijani energy resources On April 25, Azerbaijan, Bulgaria, Hungary, Romania, and Slovakia signed a memorandum of understanding regarding the supply of Azerbaijani natural gas to Central Europe through the so-called Solidarity Ring (STRING) initiative.
“We will increase the geography of our gas supplies from 6 to at least 10 countries. I say at least, because I think this is not the end of the story. We plan to expand furthermore our presence on the European gas market,” President Ilham Aliyev said during the signing ceremony for the STRING initiative.
In turn, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade of Hungary Peter Szijjártó pointed out that supply of Azerbaijani gas is currently the most effective solution to the energy crisis in Europe.
For Hungary, the security of gas supplies has always been a matter of critical importance. Meanwhile, for Azerbaijan, supplying its partners with stable resources has been one of the most critical issues on the agenda. In this regard, MVM CEEnergy, the biggest hungarian natural gas wholesale trader, and SOCAR, Azerbaijan’s state oil company, have signed a sales contract for 100 million cubic meters of gas, the delivery of which will start in the fourth quarter of 2023. SOCAR has already started injecting the first 50 million cubic meters of gas into Hungarian storage facilities.
Peter Szijjarto said that the two countries have a common political view that we build it up to a contract reaching one or 2 billion cubic meters annually.
Of course, in regard with energy cooperation between the two countries, it is worth highlighting the agreement that was signed in December 2022 involving Azerbaijan, Georgia, Hungary, and Romania represents another foundational element within this extensive collaboration. This agreement entails the extension of an electric cable beneath the Black Sea, facilitating the transmission of green energy from Azerbaijan to Europe.
Thanks to brilliantly crafted policy based on national interests, implemented by President Ilham Aliyev, today, Azerbaijan participates extensive global projects. The current efforts by Azerbaijan for Europe have demonstrated the most successful approach in alleviating the escalating energy crisis in the region. The consensus on this matter and the interest in collaborating with Azerbaijan are continuously increasing. By formalizing strategic partnership agreements or declarations with nine EU member countries, Azerbaijan has already solidified connections with one-third of all EU nations. The forward-looking energy strategy initiated by President Ilham Aliyev, primarily set in motion in 2020 with the commencement of the Southern Gas Corridor, is now demonstrating itself as not just one of the approaches, but rather the most effective and appropriate one to assist Europe during these challenging times.