Fico Asks SEPS to Suspend Emergency Electricity Supplies to Ukraine

Bratislava, 23 February (TASR) - Premier Robert Fico, after Monday's meeting with Finance Minister Ladislav Kamenicky (both Smer-SD), whose ministry is a 100-percent shareholder in the Slovak Electricity Transmission System (SEPS), requested that SEPS should suspend emergency electricity supplies to Ukraine. As of Monday, if Ukraine appeals to Slovakia with a request for aid in stabilising the Ukrainian energy grid, such aid won't be provided to it, Fico has posted on a social network. "Before adopting today's first reciprocal measure against Ukraine for the hostile acts of President [Volodymyr] Zelenskyy, I wanted to speak to the Ukrainian president by phone and get an answer as to when and whether oil supplies to Slovakia would be resumed. We received a message that the Ukrainian president is ready for talks only after 25 February this year. Given the seriousness of the situation and the declared state of oil emergency in Slovakia, we're forced to take the first reciprocal measure immediately under these circumstances. It will be lifted immediately after the resumption of oil transit to Slovakia. Otherwise, we'll take further reciprocal measures," stated the Slovak premier. "At today's meeting with Finance Minister Ladislav Kamenicky, as the 100-percent shareholder in the Slovak Electricity Transmission System and the most senior representative of this joint-stock company, I asked those present to stop emergency electricity supplies to Ukraine. As of today, if the Ukrainian side turns to Slovakia with a request for assistance in stabilising the Ukrainian energy grid, it won't receive such assistance. As I said, this is the first reciprocal step that the Slovak government is entitled to take without violating any international rules or obligations," announced Fico. According to him, if Ukraine continues to harm Slovakia's interests in the supply of strategic raw materials, the Slovak government will reconsider its constructive stance on Ukraine's EU membership and prepare further measures. The prime minister noted that Slovakia is helping Ukraine on all fronts. Despite this, the Ukrainian president treats Slovakia as an enemy. "First, he hurt us by stopping gas transit, costing us €500 million a year in transit fees. His arguments that by buying Russian gas we're supporting the Russian Federation are false and untrue, because several Western countries are buying Russian liquefied gas on a large scale. It is a complete paradox that even the gas that we are required to deliver to Ukraine under European law is of Russian origin," emphasised Fico. "The Ukrainian president has also deliberately harmed us by stopping oil supplies through the Druzhba pipeline. We had to declare a state of oil emergency, we're drawing on our own reserves, and the Slovnaft refinery has to search for oil all over the world, which increases its price as well as transport costs. At the same time, our intelligence services report that the pipeline in Ukraine is operational. Every day, the Ukrainian side provides us with different information about the condition of the pipeline and its readiness to continue oil transit. Our ambassador in Kiev hasn't yet been allowed to visit the part of the pipeline that the Ukrainian side claims is damaged," said the premier. Fico emphasised that Slovakia is a sovereign country and cannot be blackmailed. "We understand Ukraine's difficult situation, but that doesn't justify the Ukrainian president's unfair and hostile attacks against Slovakia, which are damaging it financially and causing it serious logistical difficulties," added Fico. am