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Russia-Ukraine gas dispute

Slovak PM: reverse gas supplies to Ukraine must not violate deals with Gazprom

Slovakia is first of all responsible for compliance with the contracts with Gazprom

© EPA/FILIP SINGER

BRATISLAVA, June 1. /TASS/. Reverse gas supplies to Ukraine should not be at variance with the agreements Slovakia signed with Russia’s Gazprom gas giant, Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico said in an exclusive interview with TASS First Deputy Director General Mikhail Gusman.

"We are first of all responsible for compliance with our contracts with Gazprom," the prime minister said.

Focusing on current supplies of gas from Slovakia to Ukraine, Fico said Bratislava had found a scheme that suited all parties and did not contravene agreements with the Russian gas giant.

"We were looking for a solution that would not violate these agreements, but on the other side would make it possible to supply certain amounts of gas from Slovakia to Ukraine," he said.

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"A technical solution was found, namely a disused pipeline between the Slovak Vojany and Ukraine’s Uzhgorod. We can supply certain amounts of gas via this pipeline," Fico said.

He reminded the interlocutor that back in 2009 Slovakia found itself in a similar situation, when gas supplies were stopped amid a trade row between Russia and Ukraine.

"At that time we for the first time launched reverse flows of Russian gas via the Czech Republic to Slovakia. Huge pressure was placed on us at that time so that we switch over the main pipeline to reverse gas flows," he continued.

"Simply put, the demand was that we reverse all gas supplied to the border between Ukraine and Slovakia and send it back to Ukraine. We categorically refused to do that as this was at variance with the agreements signed between Slovakia and Gazprom," the prime minister said.

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Oil & Gas Gazprom Slovakia Russia-Ukraine Gas Dispute

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