Hungary’s prime minister Viktor Orban said on Sunday he had convened an emergency defence meeting after Serbian authorities found a powerful explosive device near key gas infrastructure linking the two countries, raising concerns over regional energy security.
Orban said he had spoken with Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić, who informed him that an explosive device and equipment for its detonation had been discovered at a critical point along the pipeline network.
“I have just spoken with President Vučić. Serbian authorities have found a powerful explosive device, along with equipment necessary for its activation, on critical gas infrastructure connecting Serbia and Hungary. An investigation is under way,” Orban said in a post on X.
He added that Hungary had convened an emergency defence council meeting for later on Sunday.
The discovery follows earlier reports from Serbian media that suspicious packages containing explosive material were found near the town of Kanjiža, close to a section of pipeline infrastructure that forms part of the TurkStream gas route supplying Russian gas to parts of Europe.
Serbian authorities have not publicly identified suspects or confirmed the origin of the device, but security forces, including police and military units, were deployed to secure the area and conduct searches.
Regional officials warned the incident could have had serious consequences for energy supplies. The pipeline network linking Serbia and Hungary is a key transit route for natural gas flows to Central Europe.
Separately, Hungarian and Serbian officials have in recent years strengthened cooperation on energy security, particularly amid disruptions linked to the war in Ukraine and shifting gas supply routes across Europe.