Hungary to Push on With Russian Nuclear Deal Chided by EU

Hungary will proceed with the expansion of its Paks nuclear power plant, Prime Minister Viktor Orban said, rejecting European Commission accusations that his cabinet violated public procurement rules when it awarded the contract to Russia’s Rosatom.

Hungary assigned the construction of two new reactors and the refurbishment of two others at the Paks station without a transparent procedure, the European Union’s executive arm said in a statement Thursday, giving Hungarian authorities two months to respond. While the government pledged to cooperate with the EU, ministers insisted the expansion was vital for the country’s electricity needs and defended the project.