Fico Calls Letter from European Commission on Dual Petrol Prices Outrageous

Bratislava, 30 March (TASR) - Prime Minister Robert Fico (Smer-SD) on Monday criticised the European Commission for prioritising Ukraine over an EU member state. The Commission has sent Slovakia an official letter requesting that the government abolish the application of dual pricing for motor fuels for domestic residents and foreigners. According to the prime minister, the letter, in which the Commission reserved the right to use all available means to reverse the decision, is politically outrageous. "This letter is politically outrageous. It is a double standard. It is a clear preference for the interests of Ukraine over those of a European Union member state. It damages the economic interests of Slovakia and Hungary, but also of the whole of Central Europe, because if the Druzhba oil pipeline were functioning, we would not have these problems," Fico said. The prime minister added that the challenged government regulation is limited to one month and that dual pricing is due to the use of state oil reserves by the Slovnaft refinery. Fico pointed out that the interruption of oil supplies to Slovakia via the Druzhba pipeline has lasted for two months and the actual extent of the damage has not yet been confirmed. He criticised European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen for failing to compel Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to allow EU experts to inspect the damage. "Is it really the case that no one takes you seriously anymore, that you are unable to arrange even an inspection team of three or four people to go and see the pipeline? Or are you doing this deliberately in agreement with President Zelenskyy? I am convinced that you are in agreement with President Zelenskyy on this approach," Fico added. According to him, the Commission may be seeking to influence the political contest in Slovakia. "If the Commission is relying on the creation of an economic and social situation in Slovakia that is meant to harm this government ahead of the next elections in 2027, we will naturally defend ourselves against such an idea and do everything to prevent it," he said. The prime minister also criticised the fact that representatives of Slovakia and Hungary, which are most affected by the situation, are not included in the EU delegation in Ukraine waiting for permission to visit the site of the pipeline damage. He added that he would not agree to the accelerated accession of Ukraine to the EU, underlining that the country must meet all entry criteria like others. Economy Minister Denisa Sakova (Voice-SD) said Slovakia would defend the introduction of dual fuel pricing in talks with the European Commission, particularly due to the use of state-owned oil for this measure. The Slovnaft refinery had used approximately 105,000 tonnes of oil by Monday out of around 250,000 tonnes released from state material reserves after an oil emergency was declared on 18 March. She added that Slovnaft, together with MOL, had secured alternative oil supplies from several countries, including Libya, Saudi Arabia and Norway. The total amounts to around two million tonnes, more than half of which remains in Slovakia. The refinery is expected to gradually return the borrowed state reserves in the first half of April. mf