Page 30 - bon-dia-aruba-20220504

A30 world news
Diaranson 4 Mei 2022

Slovakia, Hungary won’t back EU sanctions on Russian energy

to bear.” The bloc is racing to secure “This is why this new LNG
alternative supplies to Rus- terminal is so timely and so
Hungarian Foreign Minis- sian energy, placing priority important. It’s a geopolitical
ter Peter Szijjarto said the on global LNG imports from investment and this is a geo-
country will not vote for any countries that include major political moment,” Michel
sanctions “that will make the producers like Algeria, Qatar said. “It reflects what we need
transport of natural gas or oil and the United States. to do more of, because it will
from Russia to Hungary im- provide security of supply to
possible.” That includes liquefied natu- Greece, to Bulgaria, North
ral gas facilities being built Macedonia, Serbia and other
“The point is simple, that in northern Greece, which countries in the region. And
Hungary’s energy supply Michel and the leaders of this is extremely important.”
cannot be endangered be- four Balkan countries toured
cause no one can expect us to Tuesday. Also at the meetings were
allow the price of the war (in Bulgarian Prime Minister
Ukraine) to be paid by Hun- “We are also sanctioning Rus- Kiril Petkov, North Mace-
garians,” Szijjarto said Tues- sia to put financial, economic donian Premier Dimitar Ko-
(AP) — Slovakia and Hunga- oil imports.” It’s not clear day in Kazakhstan. “It is cur- and political pressure on the vachevski and Serbian Presi-
ry said Tuesday that they will whether Slovakia and Hun- rently physically impossible Kremlin because our goal is dent Aleksandar Vucic.
not support sanctions against gary would receive exemp- for Hungary and its economy simple: We must break the
Russian energy that the Eu- tions. to function without Russian Russian war machine,” Mi- “This is not just an energy
ropean Union is preparing oil.” chel said. project. It will change the en-
over the war in Ukraine, say- Slovak Economy Minister ergy map of Europe,” Petkov
ing they are too reliant on Richard Sulik said the coun- Hungarian Prime Minister He met Greek Prime Min- said. “The Balkans is a region
those supplies and there are try’s sole refiner, Slovnaft, Viktor Orban has developed ister Kyriakos Mitsotakis of 65 million people, and we
no immediate alternatives. cannot immediately switch a reputation as Putin’s clos- and the leaders of Bulgaria, can do so much more.”
from Russian crude to an- est ally in the EU and pur- North Macedonia and non-
The EU’s executive branch, other kind of oil. Changing sued deep diplomatic and NATO member Serbia at the The LNG terminal is de-
the European Commission, the technology would take economic ties with Moscow. Greek port of Alexandroupo- signed to process some 6 bil-
has drafted new proposals several years, Sulik said. Orban has deepened depen- lis. An LNG import terminal lion cubic meters of gas an-
for sanctions, which could dence on Russian fossil fuels, near the port city is due to nually, boosting non-Russian
include a phased-in embar- “So, we will insist on the ex- noting that 85% of Hungary’s start operation next year. supply that reached region
go on Russian oil. The 27 emption, for sure,” Sulik told gas and more than 60% of its in 2020 with the new Trans
member countries are like- reporters. oil comes from Russia. LNG that arrives by ship is Adriatic Pipeline running
ly to start discussing them becoming increasingly im- from Azerbaijan to Italy.
Wednesday, but it could be Slovakia is almost fully de- Despite disagreement among portant as EU countries look
several days before the mea- pendent on Russian oil it re- EU members on new energy to move away from Russian A new interconnector pipe-
sures take effect. ceives through the Soviet-era sanctions, European Coun- supplies. Russia last week line, fully connecting the gas
Druzhba pipeline. Hungary cil President Charles Michel cut off natural gas to Bulgaria networks of Greece and Bul-
EU foreign policy chief Josep is also heavily reliant, though vowed to “break the Russian and Poland over a demand garia is due to launch next
Borrell tweeted that the com- Germany, another major en- war machine” by steering to guarantee payment in ru- month. ___ Janicek reported
mission wants to hit more ergy importer, said it could countries on the continent bles, in an escalating dispute from Prague and Gatopoulos
banks, target those accused cope if the EU banned Rus- away from Russia’s natural triggered by the invasion of from Athens, Greece. AP re-
of spreading disinformation sian oil, with officials still gas supplies. Ukraine. porter Lorne Cook in Brus-
about the war, and “tackle noting that “it is a heavy load sels contributed.

Sri Lanka opposition declares no confidence in government

(AP) — Sri Lanka’s main nomic crisis. force him to leave office even ernment officials of exces-
opposition party on Tues- a majority of lawmakers vote sively printing money, hurt- Protesters on Tuesday were
day issued a no-confi- A majority vote in the against him. ing agricultral production by in their 25th day of their oc-
dence declaration aiming 225-member Parliament banning chemical fertilizer cupation of the entrance to
at ousting Prime Minister would be needed to remove Sri Lanka is on the brink of to make the production fully the president’s office, de-
Mahinda Rajapaksa and Rajapaksa and the Cabinet bankruptcy after the coun- organic, failing to order CO- manding the resignations of
his Cabinet and blaming from power. The United try’s recent announcement to VID-19 vaccines in a timely Rajapaksa family members
them of failing in their People’s Force can only count suspend payments on its for- manner and buying them who have ruled Sri Lanka for
constitutional duty to on 54 votes but hopes to win eign loans. The country faces later at higher prices. the last two decades.
provide a decent living votes from smaller opposi- repayments of $7 billion of
standards amid the island tion parties and defections foreign loans this year of the
nation’s worst economic from the ruling Sri Lanka $ 25 billion it is scheduled to
crisis in memory. People’s Front party. The rul- pay by 2026. Sri Lanka has
ing party had nearly 150 votes less than than $ 1 billion in
A group from United Peo- but that strength has declined foreign reserves.
ple’s Force party, led by leader amid the economic crisis and
Sajith Premadasa, delivered defections in a no-confidence The foreign currency cri-
the motion demanding the vote are possible. sis has limited imports and
no-confident parliamentary caused severe shortages of es-
vote to Parliament Speaker A decision on when to hold sential goods like fuel, cook-
Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena. the no-confidence vote is ex- ing gas, medicine and food.
pected to happen after mem- People stand in long lines for
The move came amid coun- bers of Parliament start meet- hours to buy what they can
trywide protests demanding ing on Wednesday. and many return home with
the resignation of Rajapaksa little, if any, of what they
and his younger brother, The United People’s Force were seeking.
President Gotabaya Rajapak- also delivered a no-confi-
sa, who the demonstrators dence motion targeting the The United People’s Force’s
hold responsible for the eco- president but it would not motion also accuses top gov-