J. Blanár: Slovakia Negotiates Partial Agreement with European Commission by Blocking EU Sanctions Against Russia

Bratislava/Brussels – Slovakia’s obstruction of the 18th EU sanctions package against Russia has been significant in facilitating a consensus on the European Commission’s (EC) initiative to halt gas imports from Russia, stated Foreign and European Affairs Minister Juraj Blanár (Smer-SD) on Friday. He noted that Slovakia has obtained energy security assurances from the EC at this point. This information was communicated by the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs of the Slovak Republic (MZVEZ).

“Negotiations were challenging, marked by pressure from various member states, yet we stood firm. In future discussions regarding the European Commission’s legislative proposal on the REPowerEU initiative, we will emphasize the detrimental impacts of this proposal not only on Slovakia but also on the competitiveness of the entire EU,” Blanár remarked.

“Our blocking of the approval of the 18th sanctions package has been crucial for reaching any agreement aimed at alleviating the repercussions of a reckless severance from affordable energy supplies from Russia,” he added.

According to Blanár, Slovak Ambassador to the EU Juraj Nociar and State Secretary of the MZVEZ SR Marek Eštok played a role in facilitating the sanctions package’s adoption during the EU Council for General Affairs meeting on Friday. He mentioned that, despite this, the Slovak government maintains that resolving the conflict in Ukraine can only occur through diplomatic means and not through a multitude of sanctions that often threaten European states.

On Thursday (July 17), Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico (Smer-SD) indicated that Slovak representatives had vetoed the sanctions package six times. He mentioned that Slovakia has received written commitments from the EC, signed by President Ursula von der Leyen and the college of commissioners, concerning the plan to terminate Russian gas supplies to the EU by 2028. Fico asserted that Slovakia will never endorse this plan, but blocking the sanctions could jeopardize national interests. (July 18)

“Our blocking of the approval of the 18th sanctions package has been crucial for reaching any agreement aimed at alleviating the repercussions of a reckless severance from affordable energy supplies from Russia.” Juraj Blanár