The Hungarian government said Monday that it has proceeded to set up the Ministry of Energy in a bid to ensure the country’s energy security in the face of the gas crisis in the wake of Russia’s planned invasion of Ukraine.
Government spokesman Gergely Guiyash told a press conference that the situation in Ukraine and the sanctions imposed by the European Union against Russia «have made energy security and gas prices the most important issues for Hungary and Europe».
That is why, he said, «the government is making structural changes and has decided to create an independent ministry», as reported by the MIT news agency. Thus, Csaba Lantos will head the newly created portfolio as of December 1, while the Ministry of Technology and Industry will cease to exist.
The functions performed by this Ministry will be placed under the umbrella of the Ministries of Culture and Innovation, Economic Development and Investment, according to the newspaper ‘Nepszava’.
The Government has stressed that the new Ministry is «absolutely necessary in the current crisis» and has confirmed the resignation of Laszlo Pakovics, until now Minister of Technology, whose resignation has been accepted by Prime Minister Viktor Orbán.
