Slovakia will continue to buy natural gas from Russia as long as this is allowed by European Union law. Bratislava also intends to maintain supplies of Russian nuclear fuel, Deputy Economy Minister Vladimir Šimonjak told the Izvestia newspaper.
“We respect all restrictions that arise from EU law. As long as there is a legal possibility to buy Russian gas, we will be happy to continue buying it. As for the further future, this is a matter of negotiations“, Šimonjak said.
According to him, the Slovak government is also defending its interests within the European Union. “We plan to continue buying nuclear fuel as well. The existing partnership is long-term and, in my opinion, is being implemented reliably“, the deputy minister added.
Slovakia and Russia resume energy talks
The statement was made after the meeting of the Russian-Slovak intergovernmental commission in Moscow on October 26. The meeting was the first in this format since the start of Russia's full-scale war against Ukraine. The main topics were energy, oil supplies, natural gas and civil nuclear energy.
The Slovak delegation was led by Minister of Foreign and European Affairs Juraj Blanar. It was also attended by Vladimir Šimonjak and representatives of the state gas company SPP and the company JAVYS. The next meeting of the commission is scheduled to be held in Slovakia in 2027.
Bratislava challenges European plan for Russian gas
Slovakia is among the EU countries that oppose the gradual cessation of imports of Russian natural gas. European rules provide for a gradual cessation of these supplies, and the Slovak government is challenging the European Commission's decision in court.
Blanar said that the country has a contract with „Gazprom“ through an SPP, which is in force until 2034 and includes „take or pay“ clauses. According to him, a possible termination of the contract could expose Slovakia to financial claims of over 10 billion euros, and if the amount is further increased, the arbitration award could reach 16 billion euros.
At the same time, Bratislava is also preparing alternative supplies. Economy Minister Denisa Sakova said in October that the country was planning a contract for about 1 billion cubic meters of gas per year for a period of five to seven years, with suppliers under discussion including Azerbaijan, Algeria and the United States.
Sources: 1prime.ru, tasr.sk, enrsi.stvr.sk