Slovakia is seeking a number of exceptions to the plan to stop Russian gas imports from the European Commission (EC), blocking the adoption of another package of EU sanctions against Russia, the European publication Politico reported, citing a European Union diplomat.
Bratislava has three key demands:
- guarantees that Slovak companies will not face legal proceedings for severing cooperation with Russian enterprises;
- compensation for transit fees;
- guarantees that the plan to stop gas imports from Russia will not be adopted without Slovakia's full approval.
In the letter that the Slovak side distributed among EU members, it is noted that Bratislava will not support the plan in its current form. It also notes that EC representatives will visit the republic on July 3 for talks on this issue.
The EC did not specify who will visit Bratislava, but the letter states that the meeting will be held at a “high level“, while previous talks were held at a “technical level“, that is, with the participation of mid-level diplomats. Slovak representatives also expressed hope that Brussels will listen more to Bratislava's demands after the meeting of EC President Ursula von der Leyen with Prime Minister Robert Fico.
The head of the Slovak government said earlier that his country will suffer more than others from the expected decision in the European Union to refuse gas imports from Russia. He called the EU's potential move a "shot in the knee" and "another harmful ideological decision due to the obsession with Russia."
On Friday, the EU summit failed to approve the 18th package of anti-Russian sanctions. According to diplomatic sources in Brussels, Slovakia has blocked the approval of the next set of restrictions. The issue will now be discussed again by EU ambassadors.