Hungary halts gas sale to Ukraine on Russia fears

Prime Minister Viktor Orban said Sept. 26 that Hungary could not risk a halt to Russian gas supplies as it froze deliveries to Ukraine amid threats by Moscow.

"Hungary cannot get into a situation in which, due to the Russian-Ukrainian conflict, it cannot access its required supply of energy," Orban said on state radio.

Hungary's gas pipeline network operator FGSZ said late Sept. 25 it had indefinitely suspended gas supply to neighbouring Ukraine for technical reasons, a move branded "unexpected and unexplained" by Ukraine state-owned gas firm Naftogaz.

Orban's statement followed a warning by Moscow that it could cut off European countries have been re-exporting gas to Ukraine to help Kiev through its latest energy war with Moscow.

The threat came as energy chiefs gathered in Berlin for EU-mediated talks aimed at halting a Russian gas supply cut to Ukraine that could leave parts of the war-scarred nation without heat this winter.

The European Commission rapped EU member Hungary for cutting of so-called reverse flow supplies to Ukraine.

"The message from the commission is very clear - we expect all member states to facilitate reverse flows as agreed by the European Council in the interest of a shared energy security," said European Commission spokeswoman Helene Banner in Brussels.

'Large quantities of gas needed'

The Hungarian halt in supply came days after a meeting in Budapest between Alexei Miller, head of Russian gas giant Gazprom, and Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, who often warns against damaging commercial relations with Russia.

"In the next period we will need large quantities of gas.... We will receive this, I agreed this with Alexei Miller," Orban said.....................http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/hungary-halts-gas-sale-to-ukraine-on-russia-fears.aspx?pageID=238&nID=72227&NewsCatID=348
26/9/14
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Related:

• Gas contracts with EU provide for no gas re-export options (Alexander Novak, Russian EM) 

• Russia warned Europe on Friday that Moscow could cut off its gas supplies because some European countries have been re-exporting gas to Ukraine to help Kiev through its latest energy war with Moscow....

Anthrax found in Hungary

photo: medindia.net

“Five people have been placed under medical watch on suspicion that they have been infected,” local healthcare agency says...

Anthrax has been found in beef in eastern Hungary, local healthcare agencies said. “Five people have been placed under medical watch on suspicion that they have been infected,” they said.
Infected beef from a farm in Tiszafured, some 160 kilometres east of Budapest, is believed to be the source of the outbreak.

Anthrax is an acute infectious disease accompanied by toxicosis, inflammation of the skin, lymphatic glands and body organs.

Russia banned pork imports from the EU in January due to the threat of the African swine fever outbreak. In April the Federal Service for Veterinary and Phytosanitary Oversight banned pork imports from Poland and Lithuania, after which the EU filed the application to the WTO.
http://en.itar-tass.com/economy/739036
4/7/14
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• BUDAPEST: An infection of deadly anthrax has been identified in beef in eastern Hungary and five people are being monitored in hospital for suspected symptoms of the disease, the health authority ANTSZ said Friday.

It said the disease was identified in frozen beef after two cattle were illegally slaughtered in a farm in Tiszafured, a town about 160 km east of Budapest.

The ANTSZ said the five people hospitalised had probably contracted the disease during illegal slaughtering. Some of the beef had been transported to a company that operates canteens, and the operation of the firm had been suspended.

The authority said anthrax, if identified in time, can be cured effectively with antibiotics. It is trying to find out if more people came into contact with the infected animals or meat.

The health authority said it had started the vaccination of animals that could be potentially exposed to anthrax bacteria.

"Authorities have taken the necessary measures, so there is no longer an immediate danger," the statement said.

But it said the food safety office would report the matter to police for purposes of a criminal investigation since the canteen firm had bought meat from illegal sources.  
[Reuters] 
4/7/14