Brussels gives green light to the Paks II project
March 8th, 2017A pro-government columnist hopes that the Paks nuclear plant project will not be submitted to a referendum. A left-wing commentator finds it sad that the Left, which initially was in favour of the new plant, now uses it for ‘fear mongering’.
Magyar Hírlap’s Mariann Őry hopes that there will be no referendum on the Paks nuclear plant construction project. Őry recalls a recent poll by Publicus pollster company, which suggests that Hungarians’ views on the Paks II project are clearly determined by political sympathies rather than opinions on nuclear energy.
Writing in Magyar Nemzet, the former MSZP MEP Gyula Hegyi also finds it sad that the Paks II project has become a subject of partisan ideological contention. The left-wing columnist thinks that the construction of the new nuclear plant is reasonable in terms of economic feasibility, energy security and environmental considerations. Hegyi recalls that the plans for the new plant were first announced by the former Socialist government led by PM Gyurcsány in 2009. In light of this, Hegyi finds it peculiar that the Left, including Ferenc Gyurcsány, now oppose the project. In conclusion, Hegyi recommends that the Left should call for more transparency rather than opposing the project on grounds of ‘unsubstantiated claims’ and ‘fear-mongering’.