Slovakia can increase gas supplies to Ukraine

Reverse gas supply from Europe via Slovakia will continue, its volumes may even be increased.

This was reported by the Foreign Minister of Slovakia Miroslav Lajcak in an interview with the "Interfax-Ukraine".

"Reverse gas supplies from Slovakia to Ukraine will continue – I can confirm that," – Lajcak said.

The Minister said that currently they are also considering an increase in gas supplies to Ukraine.
"Now Slovakia through its supplies provides 20% of the total needs or 40% of the Ukraine’s import needs in gas. It is possible to increase these figures," – Lajcak said.

He said that due to the presence of gas in storage, and currently low temperature, Slovakia can cope with the situation in the domestic gas market. In addition, negotiations on gas with Russia continue.

"We considered several options and found a solution that does not violate the contractual relationship between the Slovak and Russian companies. Russia acknowledged that.  It was important for us to help Ukraine, but also not to violate contractual relations with Russia," – the minister said, adding that since the beginning of October, Slovakia has been receiving only 50% of the daily volume of gas provided by the contract.

"Russia says it is due to technical problems" – he said.