Slovakia Vows to Defend Russian Gas Imports
(MENAFN) Slovakia has declared its determination to defend its access to Russian gas, with Prime Minister Robert Fico asserting on Saturday that the country is “ready to fight” to preserve this energy source.
He emphasized that maintaining energy stability is a key priority for Slovakia and argued that the European Union’s attempts to alter the bloc’s energy supply pose a risk to national autonomy.
On Friday, Slovakia again blocked the European Union’s 18th sanctions package against Russia.
This marks the second occasion the country has vetoed the measures, pointing to issues with the RePowerEU initiative.
The program aims to end reliance on Russian energy by 2028 and is currently being debated alongside restrictions on Russia’s energy and financial sectors.
Brussels intends to adopt the energy transition plan as trade legislation, which would require only a qualified majority for approval.
However, Fico maintains that the strategy is effectively a sanction and should therefore require unanimous consent.
He has previously cautioned that the policy could undermine energy stability, inflate costs, and lead to expensive legal disputes with Gazprom regarding Slovakia’s long-term energy agreement.
During a speech commemorating Slovakia’s Saints Cyril and Methodius Day, Fico labeled the proposed phase-out a “disruption” to the country’s strategic priorities.
He declared: “We refuse to support another sanctions package against the Russian Federation, unless we know who will protect us, and how, and compensate for the damage that will be caused to Slovakia by the ideological proposal of the European Commission to stop supplies of Russian gas.”
Fico’s remarks reflect Slovakia’s ongoing resistance to EU-led efforts that, in his view, risk compromising the nation's control over its energy future.
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