Bratislava – In 2025, household prices for heating and gas will remain unchanged, maintaining the levels set in 2024. The government has allocated approximately 235 million euros in next year’s state budget for energy assistance. This announcement was made by Prime Minister Robert Fico (Smer-SD) following a government meeting on Friday, attended by representatives from coalition parties, Minister of Economy Denisa Saková (Hlas-SD), and Minister of Finance Ladislav Kamenický (Smer-SD), according to TASR.
Fico explained that the government decided to utilize the 235 million euros based on a proposal from the Minister of Economy presented on that day. “In 2025, the price of heating and gas for households will not increase; it will stay the same as in 2024,” he affirmed.
He noted that the Regulatory Office for Network Industries had made pricing decisions in early December. “These decisions would have resulted in a significant rise in gas and heating prices. However, we are committed to fulfilling our promise to the Slovak public by implementing compensatory measures,” he added.
The Prime Minister also mentioned that the government is engaged in intensive international negotiations regarding gas supplies for 2025. “These negotiations are fraught with challenges due to political statements from the Ukrainian side, along with pressures regarding any disruption of supplies from east to west. We have received offers for gas supplies that are significantly more expensive, including transit fees, which we cannot accept. We see no justification for paying more for gas due to geopolitical reasons,” Fico stated.
He expressed optimism that even with a short-term interruption in gas supplies from the east, Slovakia is well-prepared and stocked. He also believes that a collaborative solution can be reached for several EU countries to ensure the continuation of gas transit through Slovakia and Ukraine.
Starting January 1, 2025, the contract governing the transit of Russian gas through Ukraine will expire, a development that will significantly impact the export of Russian gas to some EU nations. The termination of this contract is expected to represent a major turning point, as gas transit through Ukraine has accounted for half of the remaining Russian gas exports to the EU and a third of total Russian gas exports, including liquefied natural gas (LNG). This change will primarily affect Austria, Hungary, and Slovakia, where the Ukrainian transit route met about 65 percent of gas demand in 2023.
The European Commission set a non-binding target in 2022 for the EU to halt all imports of Russian gas by 2027. The cessation of transit through Ukraine as of January 1, 2025, may expedite these EU plans and result in a loss of approximately 6.5 billion dollars annually for Russia. (December 13)
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