I'm set to meet European Commission (EC) President Ursula von der Leyen in Paris on Tuesday (10 March) to convey my views on the issue of oil supplies via Ukraine, Prime Minister Robert Fico (Smer-SD) stated in a video posted on a social network on Sunday.
The Premier will again call on the EC to compel Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to allow a visit to the site where the Druzhba oil pipeline is said to be damaged. He will also convey that Slovakia is prepared, if necessary, to take over from Hungary in blocking the European Union's loan to Ukraine.
"Oil supplies through Ukraine are vital for us. However, it's obvious that the Ukrainian President doesn't intend to continue them, which will mean huge losses for us, both in terms of commodity prices and transport costs. It should also be noted that the Slovnaft refinery has started to draw oil from state material reserves as part of the declared oil emergency. On Tuesday morning, I'm set to meet the European Commission President in Paris to discuss this issue and ask her a simple question: How long will the European Commission continue to prioritize the interests of Ukraine, a non-EU member state, over the vital national interests of Slovakia and Hungary, both EU member states?" he said.
At the meeting, the Slovak Premier will once again call for a visit to the site of the damage to the Druzhba oil pipeline. "Our information and satellite images confirm that the pipeline is okay. If we hesitate, I have no doubt that the Ukrainian president is capable of destroying the pipeline," he stated. If the damage is confirmed, he's also willing to offer Slovak repair capacities.
Fico will also convey that Slovakia is prepared to take over from Hungary in blocking EU loans to Ukraine, if necessary. "For now, the 90 billion military loan to Ukraine is effectively blocked. However, I'm not naive. The Ukrainian President has recently spoken of resuming supplies in a month or a month and a half, that is after the election in Hungary, where he's counting on a victory for the opposition. Then there will be no chance of oil from the east, unless someone else takes over the Hungarian baton," he said, adding that blocking the loan is a legitimate tool to achieve the resumption of oil supplies.
Source: TASR
