According to Fico, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky does not intend to allow the transport of the raw material at all. Already on Monday, the head of the Slovak government announced that it had suspended electricity supplies to Ukraine. On Wednesday, Fico announced further retaliatory actions without revealing details.
To cope with the lack of oil supplies, the government in Bratislava activated strategic reserves. The Slovnaft refinery has started organizing alternative supplies of raw material via the Adria pipeline leading from Croatia through Hungary to Slovakia.
— The latest reports say that oil will not reach the Druzhba pipeline in February. The first date that comes into play is March 3, Fico said, adding that it was clear to him that this deadline might not be met either. On Wednesday, February 25, he again criticized Ukraine and its president for causing problems in Slovakia. In his opinion, the pipeline is not damaged.
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— The Ukrainian president probably thinks he can do whatever he wants, but he is very wrong, Fico said and announced the possibility of taking further retaliatory steps against Kiev, although he did not specify what exactly this would mean.
The Prime Minister also commented on the allegations that the oil that cannot now reach Slovakia via the Druzhba pipeline is imported from Russia. — This is oil that belongs to Slovnaft [jedyna rafineria na Słowacji]because Slovnaft buys raw material on the Ukrainian-Belarusian border […] – he pointed out.
– I repeat to Mr. Zelensky. Slovakia is not a servant of Ukraine and is not a country where he will come and order or take something away. It doesn't work like that, Fico said. He also added that Zelensky took action regarding oil transit to harm Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban in the parliamentary elections. — I don't know whether Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky realizes that he will need the votes of all member states to join the EU, Fico added.
