Michal Hudec
Gas drilling projects resurrected around Europe
Besides diversification, saving energy, or pushing for renewables, some countries have opted to expand existing gas drilling sites or exploit unused reserves as the EU prepares to end its dependency on Russian gas. While the European Commission has shared three...
Gas supplies key to lower inflation, says Slovak Central Bank
Double-digit inflation will continue in Slovakia until next year if the government does not cap rising gas prices and if Russia stops gas supplies then inflation will rise even more, Slovak National Bank estimates in a new prognosis. The prognosis is not...
Gazprom lowers gas exports to Slovakia despite roubles payment
Russian energy giant Gazprom cut gas exports to Slovakia by half over the weekend, with lower exports continuing on Monday, gas supplier SPP announced. Gazprom announced lower deliveries via Nord Stream 1 last week after Gazprom’s CEO Alexey Miller named...
Slovakia considers rebuilding Druzhba pipeline to supply fuel to Ukraine
The Druzhba pipeline, through which Russian oil flows into the country, may be converted into a product pipeline to deliver fuel into war-torn Ukraine, Slovak Economy Minister Richard Sulík announced. “In Ukraine, most of the refineries are destroyed. Ukraine needs...
Bratislava readies 2030 city plan after dramatic tourism drop during pandemic
Following massive losses in tourism due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Slovak capital Bratislava’s local authorities are now preparing the “2030 city plan” to re-attract personnel who left and help the sector stand on its own feet again in a new reality.
Statistics underplay Slovak dependence on energy imports
Eurostat figures from 2020, which point to Slovakia importing 56% of its total energy needs, do not consider nuclear, which would put that number at more than 80%, analysts have said. According to analysts from VÚB bank, nuclear fuel should...
Nuclear energy limits renewables growth, says Slovak ministry
The high share of nuclear power in Slovakia’s energy mix, the capacity of the transmission network and the negative perception of the population, are the main reasons for the slow development of renewable energies in Slovakia, an analysis published by...
Slovak refiner Slovnaft warns of impending fuel shortage in Central Europe
Slovak oil refiner Slovnaft says it cannot guarantee fuel supplies to its traditional export destinations in Central Europe under the terms of the EU’s new Russia sanction package, the company has said. Last week EU leaders agreed on a Russian oil embargo...
Slovakia to import gas from Norway and other countries
Norway and various unnamed countries will supply liquefied natural gas (LNG) to help ensure Slovakia’s dependence on Russian gas imports decreases drastically, the country’s largest gas supplier, SPP, announced on Friday. From 1 June, Slovakia will reduce its dependence on Russia...
Slovak oil embargo exemption to benefit Hungarian MOL, not citizens
The oil embargo exemption Slovakia is asking for will not benefit citizens but the owner of the only Slovak oil refinery, Slovnaft, a subsidiary of Hungarian MOL, analysts point out. There is a “fundamental difference” between the Slovak exemption and...
Gazprom did not reserve gas transit capacity for June via Slovakia, Poland
Gazprom decided not to renew its capacity share via the Yamal gas pipeline that runs through Poland nor the capacity transit via Slovakia for June, Czech press agency ČTK reported based on their findings of the results of an energy...
Slovakia to develop geothermal energy to lower Russian energy dependency
Efforts to lower dependence on Russian energy is speeding up local geothermal projects in Slovakia that had been gaining traction before the invasion of Ukraine. The pilot project of a geothermal power plant in Central Slovak town Žiar nad Hronom...
Zelenskyy understands Slovakia unable to cut Russian oil and gas supplies
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said he understands that Slovakia cannot afford to immediately cut its Russian oil and gas supplies but warned of the country’s dependence in a speech before the Slovak National Council on Tuesday. Slovakia is one of...
Another high-ranking Slovak politician backs gas payments in roubles
Sme Rodina member and Speaker of the National Council Boris Kollár is yet another high-ranking Slovak politician who says he supports paying Russia for gas in roubles. “I would pay with anything, even shekels,” said Kollár, adding that Russia cutting...
Russia’s sixth sanction package opens EU’s Pandora’s Box
Budapest and Bratislava are unhappy with the European Commission’s proposal to ban Russian black gold despite being given extra time to phase it out, while Sofia and Prague have jumped on the bandwagon and are now asking for special treatment. ...
Slovak minister says Italy may have paid for gas in roubles
Italy may have already paid in roubles as Slovakia is experiencing higher transit volumes of gas, Slovak Economy Minister Richard Sulík (SaS) said following the meeting of EU energy ministers in Brussels on Monday. “Since the volumes flowing through Slovakia...
Green technologies shortage looming in CEE
A boom in demand for heat pumps and solar panels combined with supply-chain disruptions is starting to cause severe material shortages in Czechia as producers focus on western European markets where consumers can pay more. Experts warn the problem is...
CoR President: Regions must be involved in crisis response
The EU must shrink the gap between its institutions and regional actors to respond to contemporary crises and challenges effectively, Apostolos Tzitzikostas told EURACTIV Slovakia.
EU investment transparency platform leaves anti-graft watchers wanting
The European Commission has presented a new online tool that gives citizens an overview of big structural investment projects backed by the EU, as the next big step in Brussels’ transparency efforts.
Dispatch from Slovak border: ‘We don’t understand why Putin is doing this to us’
As war rages on in neighbouring Ukraine, Slovakia is dealing with the biggest refugee crisis in its history, but the welcoming response of its people and the government is in stark contrast with the last migrant crisis in 2015.
Soviet war memorials take a hit across central and eastern Europe
Several cases of vandalism towards Soviet war memorials have been reported in central and eastern Europe as a result of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. While Russian embassies were outraged, national authorities were more understanding of perpetrators. In some cases,...
European Parliament VP Šimečka: Doors for Ukraine’s EU accession must remain open
As Russian President Vladimir Putin decided to destroy the current security order in Europe, solidarity and unity remain our most potent weapons, but we cannot leave Ukraine to Russia and shut the doors for its EU accession, said Vice-President of European Parliament, Michal Šimečka
Bratislava looks to congress tourism to revive city after pandemic
After the pandemic, the revival of culture and hospitality in the Slovak capital will be harder than previously expected. But that has not stopped Bratislava from looking to the future.