Prime Minister Robert Fico said Slovakia rejects the European Commission's plan to gradually phase out imports of Russian gas and other energy sources, adding that the measures are "unacceptable in this form" for the Slovak government and will affect energy prices in the EU.
Points of attention
- Prime Minister Robert Fico rejects the European Commission's plan to phase out Russian gas and other energy sources, emphasizing the negative impact on energy prices in the EU.
- Abandoning Russian gas is viewed as economic suicide and a threat to the EU's energy security by Fico, who is against these measures proposed by the EU executive.
- The European Commission aims to introduce legal measures to reduce imports of Russian gas and oil by 2027, potentially affecting energy prices and energy dependence in the EU.
Fico does not want to give up Russian gas
The EU executive is due to propose legal measures next month to phase out imports of Russian gas and liquefied natural gas into the EU by the end of 2027.
The plans also concern oil and include a tax or import duty on Russian enriched uranium for nuclear power.
Fico said he respects attempts to reduce energy dependence on third countries, but the Commission's proposals would harm the EU.
It's simply economic suicide to get to the point where gas, nuclear power, oil, everything has to end just because some new "iron curtain" is being built between the Western world and, perhaps, Russia and other countries.
Robert Fico
Prime Minister of Slovakia
According to him, Slovakia will work on changes in the legislative process.
Slovakia receives Russian gas and oil and has been at odds with Ukraine over its decision late last year to halt gas supplies from the east through its territory.
About 19% of gas to Europe still comes from Russia via the TurkStream pipeline and LNG supplies, compared to about 45% by 2022.
