September 2014: Prime Minister Robert Fico and Ukrainian Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk inaugurate the reverse gas flow to Ukraine. (source: TASR)
Slovakia is still scrambling for alternative gas routes after Moscow shut off supplies through Ukraine at the end of last year. One option is gas from Azerbaijan, a possibility revived over the weekend by Ukraine’s president, Volodymyr Zelensky.
“We can use our infrastructure if European countries need natural gas. But not Russian natural gas,” Zelensky told reporters in Kyiv. However, he insisted that Russia, which invaded Ukraine nearly three years ago, should not profit from the arrangement. “Will we let the Azerbaijanis make money? Gladly. Will we help the Slovaks? Gladly.”
But Prime Minister Robert Fico has dismissed Zelensky’s claim that Ukraine is ready to transport Azeri gas to Europe. Speaking at a parliamentary economic committee on January 28, he was openly sceptical.
“What else is left for Mr Zelensky but to talk about some Azeri gas? Nothing is ready, no project is on the table,” Fico said.
The prime minister argued that the most realistic solution would be for Slovakia to buy gas at the Russian-Ukrainian border and transport it through Ukraine as Slovak gas. Under the country’s current contract with Gazprom, which runs until 2034, the Russian supplier is responsible for delivering gas to Slovakia. Fico also warned that he would veto EU financial aid to Ukraine unless Zelensky restored gas transit through Ukraine and allowed Slovakia to continue receiving supplies.
“Our enemy is Zelensky. Zelensky caused the problems we are facing. I don’t like him because he is harming Slovakia,” Fico declared.
