Fico: Slovakia Not to Okay Russian Sanctions, if REpowerEU Not Resolved (2)

Bratislava, 24 June (TASR) - Slovakia will not give its thumbs-up to the 18th package of EU's sanctions against Russia - if the issue of the EU’s REPowerEU initiative is not resolved first, as, according to Prime Minister Robert Fico (Smer-SD), the initiative could negatively impact energy prices in Slovakia, TASR learnt from the Prime Minister's press conference in Bratislava on Tuesday. „If they tell us they won't postpone anything and want to adopt this ideological nonsense, I see no reason why Slovakia should support the 18th sanctions package. That's it. It's very simple – we also need to have some levers and tools to achieve our goals," Fico emphasised. According to Fico, the initiative would have a significantly negative impact on Slovak households and industry. He also criticised the fact that the proposal includes ending gas imports from Russia without compensation in the event of a loss in arbitration. „We have no reason to pay more for gas because of Ukraine, provided we can objectively get gas from certain realistic sources — that’s what this repowering is about," the Prime Minister noted. In addition, Fico pointed to differences in decision-making mechanisms — whereas the approval of sanctions requires unanimity and member states can exercise their right to veto, the legislative proposal REPowerEU only needs a qualified majority. That is precisely why, according to him, the European Commission did not include this issue in the sanctions package. „With high probability, this ideological nonsense from the European Commission will likely be approved - because Slovakia and other countries that are against it will not have the ability to block the legislative act," Fico stated. According to him, the initiative also goes against the EU’s competitiveness. Fico declared that the positions of the foreign ministers of Slovakia and Hungary are consistent on this issue. Slovak Foreign Minister Juraj Blanar (Smer-SD) informed his counterparts at Monday’s (June 23) EU Council meeting in Brussels of Slovakia’s position on the 18th sanctions package against the Russian Federation: „Talks on the 18th package are still ongoing, and we do not yet know its final wording. For Slovakia, however, it is politically absolutely crucial that the discussion on the sanctions package be moved to the European Council and linked with the topic of the so-called REPowerEU proposal. (...) We have openly requested this from our partners." The issue will become the subject of discussion at the upcoming EU leaders’ summit in Brussels, set to take place on Thursday (26 June). mf/mcs