House: Cabinet Members Shouldn't Vote for New Sanctions against Russia

Bratislava, 5 June (TASR) - Cabinet members shouldn't vote in international organisations to adopt new sanctions and trade restrictions against Russia, according to a resolution on rejecting the policy of sanctions and trade restrictions against the Russian Federation and the protection of Slovakia's economic and energy interests approved by Parliament on Thursday. At the same time, government members should actively promote measures to stabilise the energy market, eliminate price volatility and protect the strategic interests of the Slovak economy, states the resolution, which was submitted by the coalition Slovak National Party (SNS). Fifty-one of the 76 MPs present for the vote backed the draft. They included the whole SNS caucus, most of the Smer-SD caucus, some Voice-SD MPs and several Independents. Jan Ferencak (Voice-SD) voted against the draft, while an additional 23 MPs, mainly from the Voice-SD caucus, abstained from voting. Opposition MPs didn't take part in the vote. "Parliament stated that the policy of sanctions and trade restrictions against Russia has contributed to a growth in energy prices and have disrupted supply chains, weakening the competitiveness and profits of Slovak companies," states the resolution. At the same time, Parliament is calling on the government to promote the protection of Slovakia's national and economic interests and to actively oppose measures that would have a negative economic impacts on Slovakia, its industry and population. ko/df