BRATISLAVA, May 7. /TASS/. Slovakia opposes the approval of the European Commission (EC) proposal to fully eliminate energy imports from Russia, Slovakian Prime Minister Robert Fico said, according to the TASR news agency.
"We cannot support the [EC's] proposal to entirely halt energy supplies from Russia," Fico stated.
"We acknowledge the [EU's] strategic objective of lowering energy dependence on third countries, and Slovakia is prepared to contribute to this goal in cooperation with the EU. However, I oppose [the proposal] that we engage in self-destruction. This is economic suicide, plainly speaking. I oppose the notion that [Russian] gas, nuclear fuel, and oil supplies should be discontinued merely because a new iron curtain is being drawn between the Western world and, potentially, Russia and other nations," he added.
According to Fico, Slovakia will actively push for a revision of the EC's roadmap for phasing out Russian energy. He warned that implementing it would raise energy prices across the EU and weaken its competitiveness. Bratislava will demand that the economic conditions of individual EU countries be taken into account.