Robert Fico says European Commission’s guarantees are not sufficient to address concerns about REPowerEU

On Tuesday 15 July, the Slovak Prime Minister, Robert Fico, shared and reacted publicly to the letter that the European Commission had sent him the same day in response to the Slovak government’s concerns about the EU’s plan to phase out Russian gas imports.

Slovakia is therefore still blocking the 18th package of sanctions targeting Russia ^{(see other news) while awaiting satisfactory guarantees concerning this REPowerEU ‘roadmap’ for an end to Russian fossil fuels. The regulation aimed at ending gas imports was presented by the Commission on 17 June (see EUROPE 13634/1).}

The Commission’s letter, which was also shared with the leaders of Slovakia’s political parties, was deemed insufficient, according to Mr Fico, speaking on the social networks Facebook and X.

At the ‘Foreign Affairs’ Council, the Slovak prime minister was asked to request a postponement of the vote on the 18th sanctions package.

In his view, “the best solution” would be to grant Slovakia an exemption allowing it to finalise its contract with Gazprom until it expires in 2034 - “which the European Commission currently rejects on principle”, added Mr Fico.

In the letter, signed by the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, the Commission sought to reassure Slovakia by explaining that it was committed “to addressing Slovakia’s concerns, which we discussed on 26 June at the European Council”, followed by a meeting in Bratislava on 3 July (see EUROPE 13674/10).

Among other things, the Commission has indicated that it wants to clarify the criteria for triggering an “emergency break”, in order to protect against extreme price peaks and risks to security of supply linked to the scarcity of gas on the market or infrastructure bottlenecks.

It has also undertaken to implement a solution for cross-border tariffs in the oil and gas sector, “aimed at reducing costs and taking account of Slovakia’s particular situation”.

In addition, the Commission has taken note of a request from Slovakia for a review clause on 30 June 2027 “or immediately after the conclusion of a fair and comprehensive peace agreement between Russia and Ukraine”, in order to assess whether the measures remain justified.

To see the letter: https://aeur.eu/f/hvx (Original version in French by Pauline Denys)