Fico threatens to cut aid to Ukrainian refugees due to gas transit shutdown

Fico threatens to cut aid to Ukrainian refugees due to gas transit shutdown

Kyiv  •  UNN

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Robert Fico announced that the Smer party is ready to reduce support for Ukrainian citizens in Slovakia. This is a reaction to the cessation of Russian gas transit through Ukraine, which resulted in a loss of 5 billion euros in revenue.

Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico said that his party is ready to support the reduction of aid to Ukrainian refugees in response to the termination of Russian gas transit through Ukraine. This was reported by Denník N, UNN reports.

Details

In his address, Fico said that the termination of Russian gas transit is "Zelenskyy's sabotage," but he argues that this is not a threat to Slovak households, as they are well supplied.

The prime minister complained that due to the cessation of Russian gas transit, Slovakia lost revenue, which, according to him, amounts to 5 billion euros a year.

He also noted that representatives of the Slovak government will meet with representatives of Ukraine and the European Commission on Tuesday, January 7, to discuss the transit shutdown and added that he wants to convene the coalition council and government to discuss support for Ukrainians in Slovakia.

"On behalf of Smer (the Slovak ruling party - ed.), I inform you that we are ready to negotiate and agree in a coalition to stop the supply of electricity and significantly reduce support for Ukrainian citizens staying in the territory of the Slovak Republic," Fico said.

Recall

On January 1, Ukraine stopped the transit of Russian natural gas through its territory in the interests of national security.

The Russian company Gazprom has stopped supplying gas to Europe through Ukraine due to the completion of the transit agreement.

The Czech Republic is ready to provide Slovakia with natural gas transportation and storage capacities. This decision was made against the backdrop of Ukraine's suspension of Russian gas transit through its territory.

Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico saidthat the European Union will allegedly "suffer" because of the suspension of Russian gas transit through Ukraine.