Monitor: Drucker: Ukraine Should Act as Responsible Partner Regarding Oil

(TA3,'V politike', 22 February) Slovakia is acting as a responsible partner towards Ukraine and expects the same in return, however, with respect to the suspension of oil supplies through the Druzhba pipeline, Ukraine is not providing clear answers on what happened and when supplies will be restored, Education Minister Tomas Drucker (Voice-SD) stated on TA3's discussion programme 'V politike' (In Politics) on Sunday According to Drucker, Slovakia has diversified its supplies in recent years. "Today we have options for oil supplies from the Czech Republic as well as via the Adria pipeline. Negotiations have taken place, but they are complicated because there is a problem between MOL and the Croatian side. That connection is more expensive for us than supplies from the Russian side," he noted, adding that Economy Minister Denisa Sakova (Voice-SD) is holding intensive talks with the Croatian, Hungarian and Czech sides, as well as with the European Commission. "We have ensured that there will be enough oil from storage facilities. Secondly, oil supplies from Saudi Arabia and other countries have already been secured and are expected to pass through the Adria pipeline," he added. Regarding statements by Prime Minister Robert Fico (Smer-SD) that if oil supplies to Slovakia via Ukraine are not restored on Monday (23 February), Slovakia will halt electricity supplies to Ukraine, Drucker said he did not consider this a good step. According to him, there would be no electricity shortfall in Ukraine because other countries would supply it. "In such a case, Slovakia would only lose money. In my view, this is not the right step, and I say that very clearly," the minister added. Chair of the opposition Christian Democratic Movement (KDH) Milan Majersky, also on the show, criticised the government for remaining silent for three weeks about damage to the Druzhba pipeline and the suspension of oil supplies, as well as for its differing statements towards Ukraine and Russia. "The Prime Minister began blaming (Ukrainian President Volodymyr) Zelenskyy and Ukraine as such. Of course, he did not want to admit that the Russians bombed this pipeline," said Majersky. In Majersky's view, the government led by Fico made a mistake in the past by not cutting itself off from Russian supplies long ago. "They should have cut themselves off from Russian fossil fuels. The Czechs and the Poles have done so, and today they have a litre of petrol or diesel 10 cents cheaper than we do in Slovakia. Where is that cheap Russian oil when the Czechs and Poles have cheaper fuel than we do?" the opposition MP asked. Majersky described threats to halt electricity supplies to Ukraine in winter over something caused by Russian bombing as "dishonourable". In his view, it also makes no economic sense. "We sell them the electricity, we do not donate it. The Poles, Hungarians and Romanians will gladly sell that electricity instead of us from their grid sources, thereby punishing not only Ukrainians but also Slovaks, who will not receive money for the electricity we sell them," Majersky argued. mf