Romania’s energy ministry warned of the risks associated with the potential sale of local supplier E.ON Energie Romania to Hungary’s MVM Group, according to Euractiv.
E.ON is one of the largest gas and electricity suppliers in the European Union, serving around 3.4 million customers, whereas state-owned MVM is the main energy provider in Hungary. The Ministry indicated that, after a thorough analysis, it identified many possible risks that could affect Romania’s national security. It then alerted the Foreign Direct Investment Review Commission.
Additionally, the ministry alleges that MVM has extensive commercial relationships with Gazprom and Rosatom, through which Hungary maintains a high dependence on Russia.
Other risks include providing access to the company’s database, including the personal data of more than 3 million EU citizens. Romania’s concerns were all summarised in the fact that, if signed, the deal would allegedly allow Russia access to E.ON’s information.
The treaty also does not rule out further resale to an entity beyond the EU. This could favour the indirect transfer of control to economic or political entities that did not comply with European legislation, the ministry added.
Energy Minister Sebastian Burduja stated that the ministry would use all legal and institutional levers to prevent “toxic blackmail from the East, which has held Europe captive for too long.”
