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Czech Republic's ruling party to abstain from European Parliament vote on Russian gas

ANO MPs announced their decision to journalists in Strasbourg

BRUSSELS, December 16. /TASS/. Members of the European Parliament from the ruling Czech political movement ANO (Action of Dissatisfied Citizens) will abstain from voting on a ban on Russian gas imports to the EU, the CTK news agency reported.

ANO MPs announced their decision to journalists in Strasbourg, CTK said.

"Here [in the EU] there is a desire to identify the problem [of Russian energy supplies to EU countries], but there is little ability to resolve it," the agency quoted Ondrej Knotek, the European Parliament member from the party, as saying. The EU cannot, in particular, guarantee that gas that member states will receive even after the ban on its import from Russia comes into force, will not be of Russian origin, he said.

The European Parliament held a debate on Tuesday on the gradual phase-out of gas imports from Russia. The plan opposed by Hungary and Slovakia is expected to be finally approved by members of the European Parliament on Wednesday.

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