MORNING NEWS HIGHLIGHTS - Saturday, 28 June 2025 - 9 a.m.

TASR brings a quick morning overview of the most important events seen in Slovakia on the previous day (Friday, 27 June): BRUSSELS - Prime Minister Robert Fico, following the one-day European Council summit in Brussels on Thursday night, reiterated that Slovakia will not support the 18th package of sanctions against Russia unless it receives guarantees from the European Commission ensuring that the proposed ban on Russian gas imports from January 2028 will not harm Slovakia’s energy security, adding that energy prices remain a highly important issue for other EU leaders as well, TASR has learnt from its special correspondent. “If we aren't harmed by this decision, if we're guaranteed a sufficient volume of gas at a good price, if we're guaranteed the current transit fees, and if we're guaranteed that someone will cover the costs in case we lose the court dispute with Gazprom, then we'll be satisfied,” declared Fico, who discussed the EU’s REPowerEU initiative and possible guarantees with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen before the start of the summit. He appreciated the Commission’s constructive approach on the matter. He added that in conversations with several country leaders, he found that the issue of energy prices is extremely important to many of them. “They also understand our problem when I explain it,” he stressed. BRUSSELS - Strengthening Europe's competitiveness and further integration of the single market are key to maintaining the EU's prosperity and social model, according to the conclusions of the European Council approved by the leaders of the 27-member EU on Thursday (26 June) shortly before midnight, with a special mention of Slovakia included in the section on energy, TASR has learnt from its special correspondent. In the field of energy, the leaders emphasised the importance of establishing a genuine Energy Union by 2030 with a fully integrated and interconnected energy market. Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico (Smer-SD) stated after the summit that one can't speak of a single energy market if energy prices in the eastern part of Europe are significantly higher than in the West. "These prices should be the same, but they aren't. There's pressure on the European Commission to resolve this issue," he remarked. One of the 32 conclusions on reducing energy dependence and boosting Europe’s strategic autonomy mentions Slovakia, highlighting the need for secure supply, accessibility, legal certainty, and viable alternative energy transit routes for landlocked countries. BRATISLAVA - Former foreign minister and opposition Progressive Slovakia (PS) board member Ivan Korcok called on the government to engage in real diplomacy if it wants to advance its priorities in the EU’s proposal to halt Russian gas imports from January 2028, also urging it to stop blackmailing the EU, as he said such an approach leads nowhere. Korcok recalled that Prime Minister Robert Fico (Smer-SD) aimed to have the EU’s REPowerEU initiative — which seeks to completely stop imports of Russian gas into EU-member states from 1 January 2028 — withdrawn. According to him, Fico failed to achieve either significant changes to the proposal or a promise of amendments. “The result is absurd, because Slovakia blocked the 18th package of anti-Russian sanctions, which the foreign minister [Juraj Blanar (Smer-SD)] had claimed all week would have no negative impact on Slovakia, and we received absolutely no concessions in return for blocking the sanctions,” Korcok said at a press conference, adding that Slovakia is leaving the summit defeated and holding the “short end of the stick.” He also criticised the Slovak government and the prime minister for continuing to build the myth that Russia is a reliable gas supplier. “If the government continues to insist that REPowerEU is unacceptable, I'm now calling on it [the government] to present a clear plan of diplomatic action outlining how it intends to achieve either the withdrawal or, more importantly, changes to this legislation,” Korcok declared, adding that while the prime minister is blocking the 18th sanctions package, he has at the same time approved the extension of all 17 previous sanction packages that have been in effect until now. BRATISLAVA - More than 50 people have applied for the National Defence Forces (NDF), Defence Minister Robert Kalinak (Smer-SD) said at a press conference on Friday, adding that the first training could start on 10 July. Chief-of-General-Staff of the Slovak Armed Forces Daniel Zmeko stated that the monthly capacity of the training is several hundred people. "The National Defence Forces is open to absolutely all men, women, boys, girls between 18-55 years of age, with an exception up to 65 years of age. Basically for anyone who is interested in being part of this community that is trying to protect the Slovak Republic," said the minister. According to the defence minister, the Slovak Armed Forces is ready to organise the training in two centres - in the Turecky vrch facility near Bratislava and in Martin (Zilina region). The NDF already has a commander, namely Colonel Ladislav Kisel. The headquarters will be located in the premises of the Slovak Armed Forces in Nitra. As he pointed out, the basic training consists of physical exercises, work with weapons, as well as protection against weapons of mass destruction. Kalinak wasn't able to estimate the budget needed for the NDF. According to him, everything will depend on the interest. However, the estimated cost of one NDF member, according to him, is between €5,000-6,000. The minister pointed out that the project is cheaper than compulsory military service even in case of great interest. RUZOMBEROK - Vice-premier and Environment Minister Tomas Taraba (a Slovak National Party/SNS nominee) together with representatives of the Ruzomberok-based paper-mill Mondi SCP and town mayor launched the modernisation of the wood-pulp and paper production in Ruzomberok (Zilina region). The paper mill will receive €30 million from the European Union Modernisation Fund, and another €120 million will be contributed directly by Mondi SCP into the comprehensive investment in production. Construction has officially started and is scheduled for completion in mid-2027. These investments will preserve paper production in Ruzomberok for the next 40 years, support the competitiveness of the industry and stable heating in Ruzomberok from a renewable source. "This is great news for the whole Slovak economy, because we know very well how powerful this factory is, how big an exporter it is, and Slovakia today can only be proud that it has managed to attract a €150 million investment," said Taraba. BRATISLAVA - The coalition Slovak National Party (SNS) disagrees with the actions of Premier Robert Fico (Smer-SD), who supported Ukraine's accession to the European Union (EU), pointing to Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, who is the only leader who opposes Ukraine joining the EU, SNS spokeswoman Zuzana Skopcova told TASR on Friday, adding that SNS is convinced that Ukraine cannot join the European community now or in the future. The party considers Ukraine to be a security risk because of the war on its territory and the handing over of its mineral wealth to the United States. SNS said that there is no state in the world that would hand over its entire mineral wealth to another country. "Therefore, it is inconceivable that in the future, after the end of the fighting with the Russian Federation, Ukraine will join the EU, and then European states will participate in its development, and thus at the same time help other countries, other than EU member states," stated SNS, claiming that Ukraine would also demand to join NATO after joining the EU. BRATISLAVA - The last evacuation flight from the Middle East landed at the M.R. Stefanik Airport in Bratislava on the night of Thursday (26 June), Foreign Affairs Ministry's communications department told TASR on Friday, adding that the military aircraft transported 11 Slovaks and seven foreigners from Aqaba, Jordan. Slovakia managed to carry out ten evacuation flights over the course of 11 days. Foreign Minister Juraj Blanar (Smer-SD) noted that a total of 266 people, including Slovak nationals and citizens from 27 other countries, had been evacuated from the Middle East. am