Ministry: Slovakia Disagrees with EC Plan to Stop Russia's Gas and Oil Supplies

Bratislava, May 6 (TASR-correspondent) - Slovakia disagrees with the European Commission's (EC) plan to halt gas, oil and nuclear fuel supplies from Russia, the Economy Ministry's press department stated on Tuesday, adding that such a plan is not in the interest of Slovakia or other EU member states. "We're fundamentally opposed to the European Commission preparing measures that harm not only our national interests and the purchasing power of Slovak households, but also the whole of Europe. Therefore, the Slovak Economy Ministry fundamentally disagrees with the proposal presented today by the European Commission and we'll communicate in this spirit at the European Commission," said Economy Minister Denisa Sakova (Voice-SD). According to the Economy Ministry, the proposed targets, which are about stopping all imports of energy carriers from Russia to the EU as of 2027 and introducing more restrictions from next year, will have a negative impact on energy prices in Europe. The ministry has warned that this will further worsen the competitiveness of European industry, noting that this will also have a negative impact on household energy prices. The ministry criticised that the EC's proposal didn't pass a proper impact assessment and didn't include an analysis of the impact on prices, competitiveness or energy security. It also criticised the EC for not presenting realistic solutions to combat high energy prices. The EC announced on Tuesday that the EU will stop importing Russian gas by the end of 2027 and will ensure the EU's full energy independence from Russia by stopping oil and nuclear supplies. At the same time, the Commission said it will ensure stable energy supplies and prices across the Union. am