Have the article read by OpenAI (Beta). Please note that AI translations may take some time to process.Bratislava (dpa) – One month after halting transit through Ukraine, Slovakia is once again receiving gas from Russia. Gas is now being transported via Turkey and Hungary instead of via Ukraine, the Slovakian state gas supplier SPP said on Thursday.
SPP intends to honour its gas supply contract with the Russian company Gazprom, which runs until 2034, despite political concerns, SPP boss Vojtech Ferencz told journalists in Bratislava.
Ukraine had stopped the transit of Russian gas when a supply contract with Gazprom expired on January 1, in order to prevent Moscow from obtaining income from gas sales that fuel Russia’s war against Ukraine.
However, Slovakia, an EU member state, is more dependent on Russian gas than almost any other country in Europe and protested vehemently against the transit stop. Bratislava invoked the EU Association Agreement with Ukraine, which, despite the war, provides for gas deliveries from Russia to EU countries in order to protect them from energy shortages.
Controversial trip to Moscow
In order to continue to secure Russian gas supplies, Slovakian Economy Minister Denisa Sakova travelled to the Gazprom headquarters in St Petersburg twice at the end of last year. Prime Minister Robert Fico, in turn, met with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Ankara and with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow.
Fico’s trip to Moscow triggered a wave of mass protests in several cities in Slovakia. Tens of thousands are expected to demonstrate against Fico again this Friday. (6 January)
The editorial responsibility for the publication lies with dpa.