The project can only be thwarted if the current government is ousted in the upcoming election, Péter Ungár told a press conference.

While there have been international examples of nuclear plants not going online over protests, Hungary should try to avert such a situation, Ungár said. Instead, voters will have the option of either voting against the Paks plant or for continuing “the pact between [Prime Minister Viktor] Orbán and [Russian President Vladimir] Putin”.

Ungár criticised the drawdown of a 38 million dollar Russian loan, saying that it was still unknown how this would be spent. Several members of government have admitted that Hungary had a number of more favourable options for financing the Paks upgrade from the market, he added.

On the subject of Russia’s Power Machines (Siloviye Mashiny) challenging the result of a tender to deliver turbines for the plant, Ungár insisted that the only reason why the contract had not been awarded to a Russian bidder was because the government wanted to avoid a lawsuit from the American and German companies that won the tender.

He said that contrary to the government’s insistence, the share of Hungarian suppliers involved in the upgrade would not reach 40%.

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