After the plenary session of the Three Seas Initiative (3SI - 13 states located in the region between the Baltic, Black, and Adriatic Seas) summit in Warsaw, President Peter Pellegrini spoke to the media about rail connections with Ukraine and Slovakia’s success in nuclear energy.
The President reported about the implementation of the Trieste-Bratislava rail line in cooperation with Italy, which should continue to Cierna nad Tisou at the border with Ukraine. According to him, this would help Slovakia to be a leader in enabling Ukraine to connect with ports in the Mediterranean
"Slovakia today and in the future will serve as a certain transit corridor towards Ukraine from the EU and back," said the President, pointing to the intention to complete the D1 motorway to the Ukrainian border. He also mentioned the R4 expressway in the east of Slovakia, which is awaiting completion.
The President also informed about a planned major investment in a new port on the Danube, which should increase the intermodality of transport by linking the river, rail and road networks. Pellegrini stressed that strengthening the transport links within the Three Seas Initiative is essential not only for Slovakia, but also for supporting Ukraine and connecting it to European markets and ports. Slovakia thus wants to play an active role in linking the region and strengthening its economic and strategic stability.
The President also spoke about Slovakia’s success in the field of nuclear energy. After the launch of the fourth unit of the Mochovce power plant, Slovakia has a chance to overtake France in the percentage of electricity generated from nuclear power and become the world leader in this field
"It's fine to focus on renewable sources, but then we have to wait to see if the sun is shining in the south of Europe and there is enough of it, or if the wind is blowing in the north," said the President, pointing out that nuclear power plants produce energy round the clock. Pellegrini also said that Slovakia has built gas pipeline and electricity grid interconnections with all its neighbours and will become a net exporter of electricity once the fourth unit at Mochovce is operational.
The Slovak head of state stressed that at a time when the demand for stable energy sources is growing, especially due to artificial intelligence and digital technologies, Slovakia has an advantage over other countries that rely on unstable renewable energy sources, thanks to nuclear and hydropower. He also mentioned research into the reuse of spent nuclear fuel, which could put Slovakia among world leaders in energy innovation.
Source: TASR
