Slovakia urges EC to regulate gas transit costs amid Russian import ban

Slovakia has urged the European Commission to consider regulated prices for transporting gas if Brussels pushes ahead with plans to ban energy imports from Russia.

The EC published a road map May 6 designed to end Russian gas imports by 2027, as well as moves to end imports of oil and nuclear fuel. The EC is expected to make legislative proposals on the ban this month.

Economy Minister Denisa Sakova said June 6 after meeting with EC officials that there was a need to "strengthen the principle of solidarity among member states, both as regards energy prices and in security of supply."

"We also called on the European Commission to consider regulating transit charges and the legal defensibility of its proposals in the face of international legal dispute arbitrations," she said on her official Facebook page.

Sakova's comments came after top-level discussions with EC energy officials in Luxembourg, at which she was accompanied by managers of the country's leading gas importer and retailer, state-owned SPP.

Sakova also met with the director general of the EC's energy directorate, Ditte Juul Jorgensen.

EU energy ministers are due to discuss the May 6 road map at a meeting June 16, according to a draft agenda the EU Council published May 28.

Slovak opposition

Slovakia has already said it will oppose EC moves to ban Russian energy imports, including a total ban on gas from 2027.

Slovakia's prime minister, Robert Fico, said May 28 that Bratislava could be given concessions from the EC over Brussels' plans. "I can give this good news that as a result of the pressure exerted by Slovakia, we should be able to achieve a certain number of concessions from the European Commission," he said at a press conference.

Slovakia largely relies on Russian gas imports and enjoyed relatively low-cost deliveries until Ukraine halted Russian gas transit through its territory from Jan. 1.

Slovakia is now mainly supplied with Russian gas via the Turkstream pipeline, but also has to source gas supplies via other routes to meet demand, where transport charges are high.

Sakova's reference to the legal sustainability of the EC phaseout of Russian gas could refer to Slovakia's long-term take-or-pay gas contract with Gazprom Export, which lasts until 2034, and concerns about the consequences if Slovakia unilaterally breaks it.

Sakova also said Slovakia had not received answers to many of its technical questions from the EC connected with the proposed energy ban. These include questions over boosting gas transit capacity across Europe.