Slovakia ready to support new EU sanctions against Russia but with conditions

Slovak Foreign Minister Juraj Blanár has expressed his readiness to support the EU's proposed 18th package of sanctions against Russia just hours after his Hungarian counterpart Péter Szijjártó said that both Hungary and Slovakia opposed it.

Source: Euractiv, as reported by European Pravda

Details: On the evening of 23 June, Blanár said that the Slovak government assesses each package of sanctions in terms of whether it could harm the national economy.

"Negotiations are still ongoing, but based on what’s been discussed so far, it’s clear the package won’t negatively impact Slovakia’s economy, and we’re ready to support it," Blanár said after an EU Foreign Affairs Council meeting in Brussels.

However, he added that Slovakia would demand guarantees and support from the EU to mitigate the consequences of the suspension of Russian energy supplies.

"There are also arbitration risks that will affect the Slovak Republic – possibly amounting to as much as €20 billion," he said. 

"That’s why we are demanding guarantees on how these negative effects will be addressed," Blanár added.

Blanár stressed that it is politically important for Slovakia that the discussion of the sanctions package be transferred to the European Council and linked to the RePowerEU proposal. Therefore, both he and Prime Minister Robert Fico are seeking to meet with the president of the European Commission and the prime minister of Denmark, whose country will chair the discussions on the RePowerEU initiative.

Background:

• Earlier on Monday, Hungarian Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó said that Hungary and Slovakia oppose the EU's proposed sanctions package due to concerns about energy security and objections to Brussels' efforts to ban imports of Russian gas and oil.
• Diplomatic sources cited by the ČTK news agency said there was still hope that the objections of both countries could be resolved.
• Slovakia has never vetoed or blocked any sanctions against Russia, despite repeatedly threatening to do so.
• European Pravda sources also reported that Hungary and Slovakia are refusing to approve the new 18th package of EU sanctions against Russia until the European Council meeting takes place.

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