Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico stated that he is very sceptical when it comes to pursuing a third stage of European Union sanctions against Russia, believing these would harm Slovakia's economic growth significantly. This was stated at the 2014 GLOBSEC international security forum in Bratislava on Thursday.
Fico went on to say that his position emerges from the stances held by some EU-member countries towards the sanctions. “I can sense enormous hostility. These sanctions would have a considerably harmful effect not only on the European economy, but mainly on the economies of countries that are neighbours of Ukraine”, emphasised the prime minister. “Slovakia expects its economic growth to climb to 3.1 percent in 2015, but if the strongest sanctions were approved, our economic growth would fall to 1 percent”, warned the premier. “While we're speaking about solidarity, the French are selling military vessels to Russia. While we're discussing ways in which to help Ukraine in terms of energy security, exactly on the day when we were approving major statements, Gazprom signed a contract on South Stream [the gas pipeline] with companies from Germany, France and Italy”, complained Fico, adding that solidarity with Ukraine must be expressed throughout the EU, not only by Ukraine's neighbours.
