Visegrad Archives

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 have …

Our Homeland, the only party to get into parliament besides Fidesz and the united opposition, tabled a bill to end the COVID-19-related state of emergency on the day the new Hungarian parliament was formed after the 3 April elections, Telex reported.

The European Commission called on the Czech Republic to reduce its dependence on synthetic fertilisers, mainly produced from Russian natural gas. “The European Commission’s priority is to link climate action to the provision of food, taking into account the Russian invasion …

One in three Poles favours a recent proposal by Justice Minister Zbigniew Ziobro calling on the government to suspend payment of its national contributions to the EU, while about as many oppose or are unsure about such a measure, a …

More than 60% of Slovaks are not in favour of stopping Russian gas imports, while only 25% favour a gradual halt, and 7% want an immediate one, a new survey by the Focus agency has found. Focus asked respondents in early …

Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala wants to convince his Hungarian counterpart Viktor Orbán to change his stance on Russia as Hungary is among the countries willing to pay for natural gas imports in roubles – a move unacceptable for Czechia …

Poland has opened a new pipeline bringing gas from Lithuania after Russia’s Gazprom stopped deliveries to the country on 27 April. The Poland-Lithuania Gas Connector (GIPL), under construction since 2020, started operating on 1 May. The new 580-kilometre-long infrastructure will supply …

Ukrainians have started to buy used off-road cars in bulk to use them in the areas where infrastructure has been destroyed after the Ukrainian government waived tariffs on imported cars. Road border crossings between Slovakia and Ukraine are once again full …

With the Czech Republic taking over the rotating EU Council presidency in July, it has confirmed that it wants to focus on the refugee crisis, energy independence, and the Chips Act. Petr Fiala’s (ODS) government has hinted at the direction it …

The Russian-controlled Novatek Green Energy company cut gas supplies to several Polish municipalities due to the sanctions imposed on Russian oligarchs and firms. On Tuesday (26 April), the Polish government announced sanctions on 15 Russian oligarchs and 35 companies, including Novatek …

Hungary does not think Russia’s Gazprom will cut gas to the country and does not have a plan to replace it “overnight”, the government said on Thursday, adding that it will pay in roubles if needed. The Russian gas company cut …

An immediate halt on gas deliveries from Russia would cause problems for Slovakia, so a timeframe for getting rid of Russian gas must thus be “realistic” and “feasible”, President Zuzana Čaputová has said. Gazprom stopped gas deliveries to Poland and Bulgaria …

The previously united opposition was unable to agree with the ruling Fidesz party on divvying up committee seats in the Hungarian legislature in an apparent sign of difficulties in continuing collaboration after their crushing defeat at the polls. No agreement has …

Russian energy giant Gazprom’s decision to cut supplies to Poland means Poland is now fully independent from Russia, Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki announced during a press briefing on Wednesday. On Wednesday morning, Gazprom halted gas supplies to Poland under the …

The Czech Financial Analytical Office, which has the power to freeze the assets of Russian oligarchs, is complaining about Cyprus’ reluctance to provide information on the owners of companies – meaning Czech efforts to find and punish Russian oligarchs often …

Reducing dependence on Russian natural gas requires halting subsidies on natural gas in central heating, said the State Secretary of Slovakia’s economy ministry, Karol Galek, as Czechia does the same. Natural gas was considered a transition fuel in Slovakia, Czechia and …

The government should not pursue one of its flagship policies of cutting utility prices, said Sándor Csányi, CEO of Hungary’s largest lender OTP Bank, adding that he expected high energy prices to persist. High energy prices are expected to persist, so …

Irish airline Ryanair has filed a complaint before the European Commission, accusing the Polish government of unfairly favouring Polish airline LOT by prioritising it in operating connections to alleviate the effects of a temporary crisis in Polish aviation. At the end …

Former Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico sent a letter to top EU politicians warning about the end of democracy in Slovakia and called Slovakia a “stain” on the map of Europe. Fico, his former Interior Minister Robert Kaliňák, and several others, …

The Czech Republic wants to take Russia’s place in the UN Human Rights Council, the foreign ministry confirmed on Twitter. At the start of April, Russia was suspended from the Human Rights Council in the wake of its invasion of Ukraine …

Uranium mining in the country’s east could be a solution to cutting dependency on Russia’s nuclear fuel supplies, Economy Minister Richard Sulík has said. Slovakia currently imports uranium from Russia’s TVEL company – a subsidiary of state-owned giant Rosatom – which …

The Hungarian ministry of human resources said it would appeal a recently lost case in the first instance court against anti-graft watchdog Transparency International in the public access to documents case, Telex reports. On Friday (22 April), the Budapest court of …

Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki launched an EU-wide billboard campaign to ” wake Europe’s conscience” and discourage the West from economic cooperation with Russia, Dziennik Gazeta Prawna daily reported. Announcing the “#StopRussiaNow” campaign on Saturday (23 April), Morawiecki said it …

European Commission Vice-President Věra Jourová said she expects the sixth sanction package against Russia to be introduced as soon as this week. “I am expecting the announcement of the sixth package this week. It depends on getting the best possible outcome …