Czech Republic prepared to offer alternative gas supplies to Slovakia

Czech Prime Minister Mirek Topolánek has reportedly told his Slovak counterpart, Robert Fico, that the Czech Republic is prepared to offer its eastern neighbour alternative gas supplies in the future. The comments were made following talks between the two men centred on resolving the prolonged gas dispute between Russia and Ukraine, which has seen a suspension of Russian gas supplies to Europe. The Czech Republic is less affected because of a decision made in the 1990s to source gas from Norway via a northern pipeline, but Slovakia has been hit hard by the stoppage. The burgeoning agreement would see the Czech Republic using this northern pipeline to send gas to Slovakia, although the details have yet to be ironed out, and approval sought from the German and French companies that run the pipeline.

Author: Dominik Jůn