Fico: Unless Anti-Russian Sanctions Threaten Slovakia, We Go Along with EU

Bratislava, May 28 (TASR) - In analyzing anti-Russian sanctions, we start from the basic premise that as long as they do not threaten the national interests of Slovakia, we proceed by pursuing the unity of the European Union (EU), but as soon as sanctions arise that do threaten us, we have the right to say we want nothing to do with them, Prime Minister Robert Fico (Smer-SD) stated on Wednesday. Fico said this in response to criticism by chair of the coalition SNS Andrej Danko regarding the approval of the 17th sanctions package against Russia. Fico stated that the government will patiently explain its position to coalition partners. „If there are sanctions that do not threaten our own interests, then we go along in the spirit of EU unity. But at the same time, we say that if there are sanctions which could lead to a threat to the national interests of the Slovak Republic, we will veto them," said the Prime Minister. Danko condemned the vote by the Minister of Foreign and European Affairs Juraj Blanar (Smer-SD), who last week supported another package of EU sanctions targeting Russia. Danko claims the sanctions isolate the European Union, undermine its competitiveness, and destroy the value of the euro. mf