Published January 10,2025
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Thousands of protesters within the Slovak capital held banners and chanted slogans on Friday accusing Prime Minister Robert Fico of dragging the nation in the direction of Russia after he met President Vladimir Putin final month amid a gasoline dispute with Ukraine.
Slovakia has argued with Ukraine over its determination to halt the transit of Russia’s gasoline by its territory from Jan. 1, looking for to chop Moscow off from the income stream.
Slovakia had sought to maintain the gasoline transit, and Fico met Putin in Moscow on Dec. 22 after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy rejected extending any gasoline flows.
His journey to Moscow was solely the third by an EU authorities head since Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022.
“Slovakia is Europe, we are not Russia,” one of many organisers informed the gang waving Slovak and EU flags, holding indicators saying “Slovakia stands with Ukraine”, and chanting “Enough of Russia!” and “Shame!”.
Organisers estimated 15,000 folks protested in Bratislava, filling a central sq..
Fico has stated the halt of gasoline by Ukraine will price Slovakia round 1.5 billion euros in misplaced charges for transiting flows additional on to Europe and attributable to greater gasoline costs.
He has threatened to retaliate by probably chopping humanitarian help to Kyiv, ending assist to Ukrainian refugees in Slovakia, or stopping emergency electrical energy provides to Ukraine as Russia assaults its energy grid.
“I am concerned that our government is directing us towards Russia and … is not on the side of citizens,” 45-year-old advertising and marketing skilled Barbara Fandelova stated.
Fico has shifted the international coverage of Slovakia, an EU and NATO member, since taking energy in 2023 by boosting relations with Russia and refusing to offer army help to Ukraine.
On Friday, he stated Putin had promised that Russia’s Gazprom would discover other ways to ship gasoline to Slovakia.
Around 13.5 billion cubic metres of gasoline flowed by Ukraine final yr, together with round 3 bcm for Slovak consumption.
The EU has stated there was no want to increase the transit contract by Ukraine and that nations receiving Russian gasoline had entry to different provides.
Ukraine’s international ministry stated on Friday the issue lay with Russia and the unwillingness of “certain politicians” to chop their dependence on Moscow.
Source: www.anews.com.tr