Slovak Parliament Votes To Block New Russia Sanctions

The Slovak parliament has adopted a resolution urging government officials to refrain from supporting new sanctions or trade restrictions against Russia, citing the negative economic impact on Slovakia, including rising energy costs and disrupted supply chains. The resolution, initiated by the pro-Russian Slovak National Party (SNS), was supported by a majority of lawmakers from the governing coalition, while opposition MPs boycotted the vote. Slovak President Peter Pellegrini rejected a petition calling for a national referendum on lifting sanctions against Russia, citing ambiguous wording and constitutional issues that prevented the referendum from being called. Prime Minister Robert Fico expressed his support for a referendum on lifting sanctions and pledged to use Slovakia’s veto power to block any EU ban on Russian energy exports, arguing that sanctions harm Europe more than Russia. The petition for the referendum had gathered significantly more signatures than required, but the president maintained that the legal and constitutional requirements were not met. This development marks a notable stance within the EU, as Slovakia moves to prioritize national economic interests over sanctions against Russia.