The University of Debrecen in eastern Hungary announced that it is awarding Russian President Vladimir Putin with the distinction of Civis Honoris Causa. Only two other people have been awarded the honour before Mr. Putin, namely György Habsburg, the former president of the Hungarian Red Cross and the son of Austria-Hungary’s last crown prince, Otto von Habsburg, and Rudolf Schuster, former president of Slovakia. The distinction is given to those who, according to the university, “participate in public life or in the arts in an outstanding manner and who with their work, as well as their moral or financial support have helped to strengthen the university or one of its organizational units.”

Why exactly does the University of Debrecen’s Senate feel that Vladimir Putin’s activities as a politician are so exemplary, that they merit such an award? The decision has more to do with the highly controversial Russian expansion of the Paks nuclear power plant in south-central Hungary, which generates more than 50% of the country’s power. According to a 2014 agreement between Hungary’s Orbán government and Rosatom, the State Atomic Energy Corporation will be in charge of expanding Paks, financed through a ten billion euro line of credit also provided by Russia. The European Commission gave the project the green light to proceed with the construction of two new reactors, the first of which will be completed by 2023. The total project is expected to cost an estimated 12 billion euros.

The Fidesz-dominated parliament has classified all documents pertaining to the Russian expansion of Paks for 30 years, something that Greenpeace and other environmental groups believe is cause for concern. Organizations such as Hungary’s Energia Klub have also suggested that an expanded Paks can be an important target for terrorists who are looking to strike at Europe. The group referred to multiple incidents in Pakistan, where between 2007 and 2008 terrorist attacks were attempted on three occasions, against nuclear power plants. Additionally, the transportation of nuclear material and waste, the fact that Hungary awarded the contract without an open tender and the involvement of a foreign state in Central Europe’s energy sector, which will have the effect of skewing the regional market, are all concerns. Austria, in particular, has expressed its strong reservations.

The University of Debrecen, however, is proceeding to honour President Putin. The university’s rector, Zoltán Szilvássy, was in Moscow in July and he signed an agreement with Russia’s Rosatom. According to this contract, bilateral seminars, research projects, the production of educational material and student exchanges will all proceed between Russia and the University over the coming years. Additionally, the University of Debrecen will play a lead role in the training of specialists who will work at Paks in the future.

In its press release, the University of Debrecen highlighted that Mr. Putin has served as president of the Russian Federation from 2000 to 2008, then as prime minister from 2008 to 2012, and then again as president from 2012 to the present day. The press release may make reference to Mr. Putin’s political longevity, but avoids delving into the nature of Mr. Putin’s rule. That, of course, is understandable within the context of such an announcement. Had the University of Debrecen been concerned about authoritarianism in Russia, the decimation of the opposition, the imprisonment of activists and journalists, they might have thought twice before bestowing this award on the Russian president.