Slovakia Vows to Veto Russia Sanctions Without Gas Guarantees
(Bloomberg) -- Slovakia is withholding support for the European Union’s latest raft of sanctions against Moscow unless its concerns about energy security are taken into account.
Prime Minister Robert Fico, whose landlocked country is still heavily reliant on Russian supplies, has called on the European Commission to provide safeguards to help mitigate the economic fallout.
“We want to know what kind of guarantees we will receive, what support and options will be available,” Fico said ahead of the EU leaders’ summit in Brussels on Thursday.
Fico held talks with Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on the sidelines of Thursday’s event, calling the meeting constructive. However, he reiterated his position that on Friday, Slovakia will request a postponement of the vote on the EU sanctions package against Russia, until the gas issue is resolved.
“If our proposal to postpone the vote is not accommodated, the Slovak ambassador will receive a clear instruction to veto the adoption of the 18th sanctions package,” Fico said in a Facebook post Thursday evening.
The EU aims to phase out all imports of Russian pipeline and liquefied natural gas by the end of 2027, in a bid to end energy dependence on Moscow. Slovakia opposes the plan, warning it could drive up energy prices and hurt its industrial competitiveness.
Unanimity among the EU’s 27 member states is required for sanctions approval. Fico and his ally, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, have often threatened to stymie the bloc’s moves to sanction Russia and assist Ukraine, though eventually dropped their objections.
The Slovak leader, who has visited Moscow twice in recent months, has garnered criticism from fellow European leaders due to his attempts to improve ties with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
With transit through neighboring Ukraine now halted, Russian deliveries account for less than half of Slovakia’s total gas imports, as the country has worked to diversify its sources. Slovakia currently receives Russian gas through the southern route via TurkStream and Hungary.
Fico is also requesting compensation from the EU in case a halt in Russian gas supplies would lead to a spike in gas prices.
He also said that Slovakia faces significantly higher fees when purchasing gas through LNG terminals and transporting it across Europe — a price he is not willing to pay for the sake of what he called an “ideological and harmful” idea from the European Commission.
Bratislava is also seeking legal guarantees if the sanctions lead to arbitration with Gazprom. Slovakia’s state-owned gas company SPP holds a long-term supply contract with the Russian energy giant, valid until 2034, worth as much as €16-20 billion ($18.7-23.4 billion).
Fico warned that if the EU imposes a ban on Russian gas, Slovakia may lose the case, as the argument of force majeure may not be accepted.
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