Slovakia 'will not pay for Russian gas in Rubles'; to take coordinated stance with EU

Slovakia on Monday said that it will act “in unison” with the European Union nations and will reject Russia’s demands to pay for the gas exports in Ruble. Prime Minister Eduard Heger said that his country will take a coordinated stance with the EU, which earlier clarified that European companies, whose gas supply contracts stipulated payment in euros or dollars previously, will not meet Russia’s demand to switch the payment system to Ruble. 

“In this situation, unity is key and we insist on respecting contract conditions and payments in euros,” Heger said in a Facebook post late on Sunday. 

Slovakia’s Prime minister’s comments came after his economy minister Richard Sulik raised the option of paying in rubles if necessary to keep gas flowing, citing the country’s heavy reliance on the Russian energy supply.  Slovakia cannot get rid of one gas dependency to get into the other one, Sulik had told reporters, adding that the administration was working to diversify the supply and find alternatives.

“In order not to deviate from the gas, we will pay in Russian currency, unless we agree otherwise,” Sulik said in a debate show on broadcaster RTVS. The latter stressed that Slovakia stands with the decision Europe would take, only that to keep its own supply going it will switch currency and pay in rubles. “The gas (flow) must not stop... If there is a condition to pay in rubles, then we pay in rubles.”

Bratislava purchases 85% of its gas from Russia

Bratislava purchases roughly 85% of its gas from Russia, and while diversification of supplies would be beneficial for the country, in the long run, it would take several years to reach that place, according to the minister. He estimated that Europe has around six weeks to resolve the ongoing pay dispute surrounding Russian gas deliveries. "I'm willing to work together to find a common solution," he said, expressing his openness to collaborating. "I believe that we should all work together within the European Union to find a common solution to this problem. We cannot, however, be deprived of gas," he further added. In order to cut the Russian gas reliance, Slovakia has been increasing LNG deliveries and has cut a deal with SPP, a gas business entity, whom it had paid its March and received an invoice for Russian deliveries in euros, as per the contract.