Prime Minister Robert Fico (Smer) visited the Economy Ministry as part of an inspection day on 17 June 2025 in Bratislava. On the left is Economy Minister Denisa Saková (Hlas). (source: TASR - Martin Baumann)
Slovakia’s government has voiced strong opposition to a new proposal from the European Commission that would require all EU member states to stop importing Russian natural gas and oil by the end of 2027 – a move Brussels says is essential for energy security and economic independence.
The legislation, presented on Tuesday in the European Parliament in Strasbourg, marks the bloc’s most ambitious effort yet to sever energy ties with Moscow over its ongoing war in Ukraine. Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said the EU was “turning off the tap” after years of Russia using energy as a tool of political pressure.
But Prime Minister Robert Fico, who returned to power in 2023 and has taken a more Russia-friendly stance than most of his EU counterparts, has denounced the proposal as “ideological, senseless and harmful”. He claims the plan could trigger gas price hikes of up to 50 percent for Slovak households and has pledged to vote against it unless key concerns around supply guarantees and financial compensation are addressed.
