This requires that the Croatian side “does not block rational, business-like and logical decisions”, it added. Hungarian oil and gas company MOL, in which the state holds a sizable stake, owns just under half of INA’s shares but exercises management rights in the company.

The state of Croatia is the other big stakeholder. For years, the sides have disputed INA’s strategy and are now in arbitration. The sides also discussed the construction of an LNG terminal in Croatia, the ministry said. Panenic confirmed the Croatian government’s commitment to building the terminal, it added.

Szijjártó urged prompt action on the matter of introducing reverse flow between the gas networks of the two countries. “We expect Croatia to establish reverse flow in the Croatian- Hungarian gas network interconnector as soon as possible, in line with bilateral and European commitments,” he said.

On the forum’s sidelines, Szijjártó also held talks with Petru Sorin, Romania’s transport minister. They agreed that Hungary would connect its motorway M4 with Romania’s A3 in 2018, the ministry said in a statement.

A border crossing station will be built by Hungary, it said, adding that the project’s technical preparation has already begun.

Republished with permission of Hungary Matters, MTI’s daily newsletter.

MTI photo: KKM/Szabó Árpád