Slovenský plynárenský priemysel (SPP) (source: TASR - Michal Svítok)
Russia’s Gazprom has begun supplying gas to Slovakia via the TurkStream pipeline, marking a shift in the country’s energy routes after Ukraine halted transit at the start of the year. The Slovak gas supplier SPP confirmed the change, with CEO Vojtech Ferencz announcing that deliveries would double from April, though he declined to provide further details, according to the Czech news agency ČTK.
TurkStream connects Russia and Turkey, with gas flowing through the Balkans and Hungary before reaching Slovakia. Until now, Slovakia imported Russian gas through Ukraine, but Kyiv ended transit in response to the expiry of its contract with Moscow. The Ukrainian government refused to extend the agreement, citing the ongoing Russian invasion and unfavourable terms.
Despite alternative pipeline links to its neighbours, Slovakia has relied solely on gas deliveries from Hungary since January. SPP has a contract with Gazprom running until 2034 and has no plans to terminate it. “The war will end, and things will be restored,” Ferencz told journalists, as reported by Denník N.
Under the contract, Gazprom covers the cost of transporting gas to the Slovak border, including gas arriving via TurkStream, according to Sme. This means Slovakia only incurs transit fees once the fuel reaches its territory, shifting the entry point from Veľké Kapušany on the Ukrainian border to the Slovak-Hungarian link at Veľké Zlievce/Balassagyarmat.
