MFA: Slovakia Sending Energy Aid for €500,000 to People of Ukraine

Bratislava, November 19 (TASR) - Slovakia will allocate €500,000 within official development aid to purchase generators, transformers and energy infrastructure components for Ukraine, TASR learnt from the Foreign Affairs Ministry on Tuesday. The financial contribution, which is in line with the outcome of the October Slovak-Ukrainian government session, was approved by Foreign Affairs Minister Juraj Blanar (Smer-SD). Blanar in this connection pointed to the fact that some three quarters of Ukraine's energy infrastructure has been destroyed. Therefore, Slovakia is taking real steps to help people in Ukraine. "Based on commercial supplies, we continue to sell electricity to our eastern neighbour, which is crucial for its residents. And in addition to the delivery of non-lethal military equipment, such as Bozena mine-sweaping systems, universal finishing excavators and detectors of chemical substances, Slovakia has prepared further energy aid amounting to €0.5 million," said Blanar. According to data published by the European Commission (EC), power outages in Ukraine last 8-12 hours a day. Current estimates for the upcoming winter period predict their increase up to 20 hours a day. The Slovak Foreign Affairs Ministry, therefore, undertook intensive communication with the Ukrainian Embassy to Slovakia regarding the identification of specific needs in the field of energy, said the Foreign Affairs Ministry state secretary Rastislav Chovanec. "The embassy, ​​in cooperation with the Ukrainian Energy Ministry, has prepared the list of essential products and equipment in the humanitarian field. Therefore, this aid is extremely targeted, useful for the people of Ukraine and Slovak companies are directly engaged in it," he added. The agreement on the provision of a financial contribution amounting to €500,000 was signed on Monday (November 18) by Slovak Agency for International Development Cooperation (SAMRS) director Michal Cornak and Ukrainian Ambassador to Slovakia Myroslav Kastran, with Chovanec in attendance. ko/mcs