Premier: We'll Compensate for Energy Prices with Relatively Large Amount

Bratislava, October 3 (TASR) - The government will compensate for high energy prices for households next year as well, with a relatively large sum, Prime Minister Robert Fico (Smer-SD) said at a press conference on Thursday dedicated to the approval of the consolidation package. "We'll compensate with an amount that is quite large, and we want to do our best so that any negative consequences of the consolidation of public finances, which, unfortunately, must occur in some situations, aren't exacerbated by the fact that people will pay more for heat, gas and electricity," said the premier. Fico noted that the government is keen to ensure that gas and oil transit routes continue to pass through Ukraine, and it is in communication with its Ukrainian partners on this issue. He also refuses to buy oil from elsewhere, because, as he stressed, it's Russian oil again, only with higher transit fees. "I'm looking forward to the meeting on Monday, this time on the Ukrainian side, because we'll talk not only about the implementation of the roadmap we have in the humanitarian and perhaps other areas, but I'm looking forward above all to the fact that we'll be able to talk openly about how to guarantee that Ukraine will remain an important transit country for the basic raw materials that Western Europe needs," pointed out Fico. am/mcs