Fico Likely Won't Back EU Summit Conclusions on Ukraine (2)

Bratislava, 18 March (TASR) - Prime Minister Robert Fico (Smer-SD) indicated at a session of the House committee for European affairs on Wednesday that he probably won't support the conclusions of the upcoming EU summit concerning Ukraine because Slovakia's request that the situation with the Druzhba oil pipeline should be reflected is being rejected on principle for incomprehensible reasons. "We asked, and I also had a long discussion about this issue with the president of the European Council, requesting that a section concerning the Druzhba pipeline should be included in the conclusions related to Ukraine. For incomprehensible reasons, this is being fundamentally rejected," said Fico. Fico doesn't see fundamental reasons to oppose other parts of the conclusions concerning EU competitiveness or the Middle East, "provided we manage to push through certain measures in the area of competitiveness". Fico said that he considers it correct to support Ukraine's European prospects, but he cannot imagine Ukraine overtaking other countries that are significantly better prepared for membership for political and ideological reasons. "With a high degree of probability, because there will be no willingness to include Druzhba as a topic in the conclusions, I will not support this part on Ukraine," he added. Ukraine's claims about the damage to an oil pipeline facility in the city of Brody in Lviv region aren't true, said the prime minister. "We are cooperating with services abroad. Satellite images show that only a single oil storage tank has been burned out. There are absolutely no signs of damage to the pipeline system, there are no signs of bombing," said Fico, claiming that Ukraine is playing a "big game" aimed at influencing the outcome of the parliamentary elections in Hungary. Peter Kalivoda (Voice-SD), who chairs the House European affairs committee, said that he would welcome it if the conclusions of the EU summit included Slovakia's participation in an inspection team tasked with examining the Druzhba pipeline. "We have a legal claim to this oil," he underlined, criticising the fact that the timeline for putting the pipeline back in operation keeps being postponed. Meanwhile, the prime minister indicated that the cabinet may still discuss a regulation on Wednesday that would introduce higher fuel prices for foreign drivers. According to him, the government is currently analysing the conditions that such a regulation could include. NOTE: This story has been extended to include the final five paragraphs mf/df