Cuts in gas supplies from Russia to Slovakia by half are Russia's response to Slovak aid for Ukraine, said Prime Minister Robert Fico during an HNClub forum held by the Hospodárske Noviny daily on Tuesday. "Slovakia is seeing 50 percent of the previously supplied normal volume. The cuts by half are surely a response to the fact that Slovakia has organised a reverse gas flow [to Ukraine]", said the prime minister, adding that the situation hasn't changed even after the recent signing of an agreement on winter gas supplies between Ukraine, Russia and the EU. "Gas has now begun to be used as a means of political struggle".
Fico is convinced nonetheless that with a reverse gas flow via Vojany-Uzhhorod, Slovakia has contributed to the energy security of Ukraine, which gives Slovakia the right to voice its opinion on EU sanctions. "I hope that everything will get back to the way it was. Whether this will be the case remains to be seen, however, depending on whether a peaceful solution to Ukraine is found", he said, adding that, according to sources from Germany, the probability of direct military conflict in Ukraine is 70 percent.
Slovakia needs between 5.5 and 6 billion cubic metres of gas annually, which can be obtained from various sources, said Fico, who pointed out the importance of Russia as a strategic partner as Moscow supplies up to one-third of Europe's gas. Gas transit brings Slovakia hundreds of millions of euro in income, and its replacement by other projects would pose a significant damage to the Slovak economy. Therefore, the South Stream pipeline represents a threat to Slovakia. "If a southern flow of gas transit were constructed, the pipeline going across Ukraine to Slovakia might completely dry up and we'd lose incredible amounts of money. The income that Slovakia sees from transit is significant in terms of the state budget".
The prime minister also confirmed Slovakia's plan to interconnect its gas infrastructure with Hungary and Poland and conceded that the idea of the creation of a so-called gas union in Europe is plausible. "This idea that the EU should have its own gas market is very realistic, and I, for one, believe that it's just a matter of time. However, strategic cooperation with Russia cannot be ruled out or circumvented", he added.
