Matovic: Cheap Russian Gas Nothing But Myth Perpetuated by Fico

Bratislava, 15 July (TASR) – There's no such thing as cheap Russian gas or oil — it's a myth perpetuated only by Prime Minister Robert Fico (Smer-SD), opposition 'Slovakia' party members declared at a press briefing on Tuesday. The legislators pointed out that Slovakia, after Sweden, pays the highest price for Russian gas in Europe. And even though surrounding countries such as Poland, the Czech Republic and Austria import no Russian oil or gas, they still enjoy lower fuel prices. 'Slovakia' party representatives Igor Matovic, Julius Jakab, Roman Mikulec and Michal Sipos accused Fico of trapping Slovakia in dependency on Russian energy without securing any alternative supplies. "Fico has pulled Slovakia into a trap. We are now reliant on Russian gas and oil, and he insists that there are no other options. That suggests he must be in Russia's pocket because he wouldn't endanger Slovakia this way without personal gain," said Matovic. Matovic added that Fico effectively surrendered by stating that Slovakia cannot force the EU to change its stance on Russian gas. Instead of personally advocating Slovakia's interests in Brussels, Fico sent a deputy foreign affairs minister to the negotiations on the 18th sanctions package against Russia. The 'Slovakia' party chair also warned of potential fallout from recent comments by US President Donald Trump, who said that if Russian President Vladimir Putin continues his aggression against Ukraine, the United States will impose 100-percent secondary tariffs on countries trading with Russia as of September. Matovic cautioned that Slovakia could be directly affected if it maintains its dependence on Russia. Jakab highlighted the possible consequences for Slovakia’s car industry, stating that up to 100,000 jobs linked to exports to the United States could be at risk. "An economic disaster is heading our way, and tens of thousands could lose their jobs, but Fico and this government don't care," he said. In addition, Matovic criticised Fico for excluding the 'Slovakia' party from receiving the European Commission’s written proposal, which outlines guarantees related to the planned phase-out of Russian gas supplies in exchange for Slovakia's support of EU sanctions. He argued that the opposition cannot be expected to fix long-term issues caused by Fico's decisions but warned that Slovakia may end up isolated if it refuses to back the sanctions. "Of the 27 EU countries, 26 agree that cutting ties with Russian energy is beneficial, and their citizens are paying lower prices. Only Fico claims that Europe must remain dependent on Russian gas and oil — but the numbers don't add up," stressed Matovic. mf/df