PM: Draft Guarantees on Gas on Table, I Expect Stances of Other Parties on This

Bratislava, 15 July (TASR) - Arguing over the phone and tough negotiations with EU officials are nearing their end, and written draft guarantees concerning the planned cut-off of Russian gas supplies to the EU, which the European Commission (EC) is offering to Slovakia in return for voting for the 18th package of anti-Russian sanctions, is on the table, Premier Robert Fico (Smer-SD) posted on a social network on Monday (14 July) evening. Fico said that he's sending the draft to the chairmen of all relevant political parties and is awaiting their stances on it, although he didn't elaborate any details regarding the guarantees. The premier stressed that Slovakia won't vote on the sanctions package, "unless the Commission gives us at least minimal guarantees as to how to handle the impacts of its demagogical and harmful proposal to halt Russian gas supplies as of January 1, 2028". A qualified majority of votes is sufficient to enforce it, and Slovakia could therefore be outvoted. "The obsession with Russia is so huge that we have no chance of pressuring the Commission to withdraw its gas proposal. Not to mention that the EC will push through this proposal even if we vote against it a hundred times, which we will. We'll never vote for this madness from the Commission," said the premier. Fico reiterated that this dispute cannot be won 100:0. "But we mustn't lose it 0:100, either. Whoever wants to live with the wolves must howl with them. This is unfortunately the cruel reality of the current Union. We must therefore fight for an acceptable compromise until the last minute," stressed the premier, adding that he also expects the stances of opposition leaders as soon as possible. The vote on the sanctions package should be held on Tuesday or in the next few days. ko/df