Hungary threatens to veto new EU sanctions on Russia

STOCKHOLM, May 13. (DPA/EP) –

The Hungarian Foreign Minister, Péter Szijjártó, has warned that his country will veto any new package of sanctions against Russia after the inclusion of the main Hungarian bank, OTP, in a list of possible sanctions provided by Ukraine.

The Hungarian financial entity appears on a list of organizations that support the Russian war in Ukraine, as denounced by Szijjártó from Sweden, where he is to participate in a meeting of EU foreign ministers.

For Szijjártó it is “scandalous” that the OTP bank appears on the list because “it has not broken any law”, the Hungarian leader has highlighted from Stockholm.

The European Commission has released the proposal for a new package of sanctions against Russia, the eleventh, which seeks to prevent organizations already sanctioned from being able to avoid the restrictive measures imposed. It also includes new trade restrictions that could also affect Hungarian companies.

The High Representative for Foreign Policy of the EU has not wanted to respond to the Hungarian minister and has argued that he has not been able to listen to his statements. However, he has pointed out that “it is no secret” that Hungary does not believe that the sanctions will be effective against Russia.

The National Agency for the Prevention of Corruption of Ukraine has singled out the OTP bank by including it in May in the list of sponsors of the war. It is the largest bank in Hungary and has a significant presence in Russia.