Companies in Slovakia are increasingly pointing to problems caused by trade sanctions mutually imposed by both the EU and Russia. They are concerned about the sale of Slovak products directly in Russia, the safety of transportation via Ukraine, and they are reporting a decline in orders from factories operating in the war-crippled eastern Ukraine. The company U.S. Steel is one of the biggest employees in eastern Slovakia; at the same time, the plant is one of the largest consumers of natural gas and iron ore from Russia and Ukraine. “We are watching the situation very closely. We have alternative plans that enable our company to continue with the production in a standard way”, spokesperson for U.S. Steel Kosice Ján Bača told the Nový Čas daily.
Slovak President Andrej Kiska wrote on his Facebook profile on Friday, that the EU's sanctions against Russia may bring certain economic losses, but one needs to be prepared to make sacrifices. "Business interests mustn't be put above the fundamental values of freedom and democracy”, wrote Kiska, who is currently on holiday outside Slovakia.
