The disruption of the Russian gas flow has got the prime minister of Slovakia Robert Ficon to his rage.
Ukraine decided not to continue the gas transit agreement with Russia after it expired at the turn of the year.
The decision has meant that the EU countries Slovakia and Austria will be left without Russian gas in the future. Hungary, which is also dependent on Russian energy, has received its gas through the Turkstream pipeline that runs through the Black Sea.
Robert Fico vows revenge
Now Slovakia’s pro-Russian Prime Minister Fico wants to take revenge on Ukraine for closing the gas taps, reports say Euractiv and Euronews. Fico threatens the country with the termination of electricity supplies and the reduction of aid given to Ukrainian refugees. The left-wing populist prime minister demands that Ukraine allow the transit of Russian natural gas or compensate Slovakia for the damage caused.
Fico has put pressure on Ukraine together with the Prime Minister of Hungary Viktor Orbánin with.
Ukraine has referred to Fico’s threats with a glove. Prime minister Donald Hardly led by Poland has said it will increase electricity supplies to Ukraine if Slovakia carries out its threat to stop supplies. President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyi has also accused Slovakia of opening a “second energy front” against Ukraine at the behest of Russia, reports Euractiv.
Politicon Fico has constantly warned that closing gas pipelines will cause an energy crisis in Central Europe. According to Fico, a Russian state company Gazprom the cessation of gas supplies will have serious consequences for the entire European Union, but not for Russia.
The prime minister talked a lot
Despite Fico’s scaremongering, there is no shortage of energy and prices have not risen recklessly, even though gas deliveries through Ukraine stopped at the turn of the year. Politico highlights Gas Infrastructure Europe returnsaccording to which Slovakia’s gas reserves are about 75 percent full, which is above the seasonal average. Hungary’s gas reserves are about 68 percent full. Gas reserves in Austria and the Czech Republic are also at a normal level.
Analyzing the market of S&P Global gas market expert Laurent Ruseck confirms to Politico that there is no crisis. There is sufficient gas storage capacity compared to demand, so there is no shortage of gas, even if there are no alternatives to Russian gas.
“And there are plenty of options,” Ruseckas points out to the magazine.
Fico’s speeches about the energy crisis have now come under questionable light. Economist at Slovakian think tank Globsec Vladimir Vaňon according to the country has been preparing for the end of Russian gas since the beginning of the war. Vaňo tells Politico that Ukraine’s decision was well-anticipated in Slovakia.
However, according to Ruseckas, Slovakia will lose the income it has received from transporting Russian gas to neighboring countries. According to Euronews, Prime Minister Fico has talked about losing up to 500 million euros annually. Gas deliveries have been handled by a state-owned energy company SPP.