SaS Backs URSO After URSO Chair Juris Blasted by Premier Fico

Bratislava, November 30 (TASR) - The opposition's Freedom and Solidarity (SaS) voiced its support to the Office for the Regulation of Network Industries (URSO) on Thursday after its chair Andrej Juris had been lambasted by Prime Minister Robert Fico (Smer-SD), TASR learnt on the same day. On Tuesday (November 28), URSO issued a decision on behalf of the SPP gas utility, according to which the 2024 gas prices are expected to almost double in 2024. Subsequently, on Wednesday (November 29), Prime Minister Fico announced that he will oust URSO chair Andrej Juris and find a solution to prevent the 2024 gas prices from going up. "The regulatory authority is independent under the law and the Government still has an option to embrace a crisis regulation," stated Karol Galek of SaS. According to SaS, subsidies shouldn't be provided across-the-board, but distributed based on individual consumption and other categories. The Government should usher in a crisis regulation and set caps for gas subsidies. "It's necessary to save on gas, by replacing old boilers and changing the consumer behavior," added Galek. URSO sets the regulated price according to gas prices at stock markets to a large extent. mf