Slovakia to Consider Legal Action If It Isn't Compensated for Russian Gas Halt

Bratislava, 22 August (TASR) - Slovakia will consider the possibility of legal action if it doesn't receive an exemption or isn't compensated for the termination of natural gas imports from Russia, according to a reasoned opinion on non-compliance of the draft EU regulation on the phasing-out of natural gas imports from Russia with the principle of subsidiarity, which was approved with comments by the government at its meeting on Friday. The document was submitted to the cabinet session by Prime Minister Robert Fico (Smer-SD). "The government instructs the justice minister [Boris Susko (Smer-SD)] to ensure, by 25 October 2025, in cooperation with the foreign affairs minister [Juraj Blanar (Smer-SD)] and the economy minister [Denisa Sakova (Voice-SD)], that if the negotiations don't lead to obtaining exemptions or appropriate binding compensation, that an analysis of the options for filing a lawsuit on the grounds of violation of the principle of subsidiarity by the EU regulation in question is drawn up," reads the government resolution. The material proposes that the government should take note of the draft reasoned opinion on the draft EU regulation and recommend to the parliamentary committee on European affairs that it should discuss the draft regulation without delay and approve the aforementioned reasoned opinion. am/df