Slovak PM's idea to retaliate after Ukraine halted gas transit 'outrageous’, NGO says

Record ID: 1898789

  • Title: Slovak PM's idea to retaliate after Ukraine halted gas transit 'outrageous’, NGO says
  • Date: 8th January 2025
  • Summary: BRATISLAVA, SLOVAKIA (JANUARY 8, 2025) (REUTERS) (SOUNDBITE) (English) EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF NON-GOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATION PEOPLE IN PERIL, ANDREA NAJVIRTOVA, SAYING: “Providing support to these vulnerable groups is absolutely paramount and cannot be used as a political leverage. From our experience assisting Ukrainian refugees we see that they try not to be dependent on S
  • Embargoed: 22nd January 2025 13:25
  • Keywords: Fico Slovakia Ukraine energy gas transit humanitarian aid
  • Location: UBLA AND BRATISLAVA, SLOVAKIA / UNDISCLOSED LOCATION AND LYMAN, UKRAINE / MOSCOW, RUSSIA
  • City: UBLA AND BRATISLAVA, SLOVAKIA / UNDISCLOSED LOCATION AND LYMAN, UKRAINE / MOSCOW, RUSSIA
  • Country: Slovakia
  • Topics: Europe,Government/Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVA007166108012025RP1
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: Slovakia's coalition government will discuss retaliatory measures to take against Ukraine after it halted the flow of Russian gas through its territory to Slovakia.
    Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico said in a video message posted on Facebook on Thursday (January 2) that his Smer party would consider cutting electricity supplies to Ukraine, lowering aid to Ukrainian refugees, and demanding the renewal of gas transits or compensation for losses he said Slovakia had suffered due to the ending of Russian gas flows.
    Slovakia has opened its doors to around 130 000 Ukrainian refugees seeking safety and stability as the conflict in Ukraine persists.
    Executive director of non-governmental organization People in Peril, Andrea Najvirtova believes that the idea of such measures is" beyond any lines, it's really outrageous".
    "Even suggesting such a measure of stopping to sell our energy supplies to Ukraine is deeply inhumane and against basic principles of humanity and solidarity," she added.
    Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico will discuss the end of Russian gas transit through Ukraine with representatives of the European Commission on Jan. 9 in Brussels.
    Supplies through Ukraine stopped on Jan. 1 after a transit agreement between Ukraine and Russia expired, but Fico had been keen to continue receiving Russian gas through that route and threatened to retaliate against Ukraine for what he said were large economic losses for Slovakia.
    (Production: Radovan Stoklasa, Anna Lubowicka)
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