Slovakian Prime Minister Robert Fico was forced to cancel the gathering with representatives of the European Commission, in which he was to discuss the situation related to the halting of the transit of gas by Kiev through Ukraine's territory to Europe, due to a method failure in Belgian air traffic.
The Brussels global Airport had previously stated on Thursday that it is presently impossible to operate any flights in Belgian airspace. According to the paper Soir, the method failure was caused by the failure of the main radar of the air traffic control center (Canac).
"On the way to Brussels, we were informed that the airspace above Brussels airport was closed for method reasons ... The pilots informed me that we would gotta travel over Brussels for at least an hr and a half, which means that we no longer have a chance to meet with the European Commission's head and the Energy Commissioner", Fico told journalists on Thursday.
On Tuesday, Fico said that the European Commission had sided with Slovakia in a dispute with Volodymyr Zelenski about gas. He said that Brussels wants Kiev to return to the "idea of gas transit across Ukraine".
On Monday, the European Commission said that it was ready to proceed talks with Ukraine about the supply of gas by its strategy and that it could affect not only Slovakia but besides Hungary in the discussion.
Slovak abroad Minister Juraj Blanár welcomed the European Commission's support, noting that the readiness of the Kiev authorities to negociate gas transport is seen by Slovakia as a return to the previously proposed solution, which discussed gas transport across Ukraine, for example from Azerbaijan.
Fico has already met with representatives of the European Commission in early January to discuss the transit of gas through Ukraine, on which Slovakia insists. It was then decided to set up a peculiar working group to find a way out of the current situation. On the another hand, the Slovak Prime Minister announced that if negotiations do not lead to anything, Bratislava may suspend the provision of humanitarian aid, halt the supply of energy to Ukraine in urgent cases and importantly reduce support for Ukrainian citizens who are presently in the republic. Fico besides threatened to usage his veto right in the European Union in matters relating to assistance to Ukraine.
The Slovak authorities have previously repeatedly reiterated that they want to keep the anticipation of transporting gas further west through their territory. Prime Minister Fico said that the republic advocates restoring the transit of gas through Ukraine, otherwise the failure of the country should be compensated. According to him, Slovakia's failure of gas transit capacity to another EU countries will amount to around EUR 500 million per year. He noted that Slovakia would besides lose EUR 1 billion at higher gas prices, while the European Union as a full would pay around EUR 70 billion for this "adventure" with the detention of gas transit through Ukraine.
On 1 January, Gazprom reported that he was deprived of the method and legal ability to supply gas for transit through Ukraine, with the expiry of the agreement with Naftohaz Ukraine from 8.00 Moscow time on 1 January. The Ukrainian authorities have previously repeatedly reiterated that they do not plan to renew the transit agreement.
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Fico forced by method conditions to cancel the gathering with the EC on gas
