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Slovenian party leader urges buying Russian energy amid crisis

Chairman of the Resnica parliamentary party Zoran Stevanovic opined that the situation in the Persian Gulf could create serious problems in the near future

BELGRADE, March 27. /TASS/. Slovenia could face serious problems due to the situation in the Persian Gulf and should consider the possibility of purchasing Russian energy resources, Zoran Stevanovic, chairman of the Resnica (Truth) parliamentary party, said following a National Security Council meeting dedicated to the energy crisis.

"The situation in the Persian Gulf could create serious problems in the near future. In particular, we are quite dependent on natural gas supplies from Qatar, especially since their volume has now dropped to 5%. We are one of only three EU members without natural gas reserves, and this could sharply impact electricity prices," Stevanovic told reporters.

"It is absolutely essential to work on reducing excise duties and taxes, and, above all, on the possibility of negotiating with the Russians. The fact is that we have traded dependence on Russia for dependence on America. However, Brussels prohibits any easing of sanctions on imports from Russia. Therefore, good times are not in store for us if we do not address this immediately," the politician stressed.

Earlier, Slovenian authorities imposed fuel purchase limits for individuals (50 liters) and businesses (200 liters). The government also ordered an investigation into Petrol company over suspected intentional delivery delays. Deputy Prime Minister Luka Mesec, co-chairman of the Left Party, suggested that authorities consider nationalizing a controlling stake in the company.

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