Slovakia would veto plan to ban energy supplies from Russia to EU

MOSCOW. May 12 (Interfax) - Slovakia will use its veto power in any unanimous vote to ban imports of Russian energy resources, Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico said during a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

American nuclear fuel cannot be used in Soviet-designed nuclear power plants, and halting Russian gas supplies would destabilize the market, Fico said. Slovakia's refineries were specifically built to process Russian crude oil, he said.

"There are also sanctions, which do not work and cause damage to the European Union itself. Now the EU has come up with a proposal called Repowering. This is a halt to the supply of all kinds of energy resources. But let us talk constructively. You will understand very well what I am going to tell you now. If someone thinks that it is possible to buy fuel from Westinghouse and use it at our nuclear power plants, it is impossible," he said.

"A halt of gas supplies will cause instability. Our petrochemical plants were set up to use Russian oil for oil refining, and the shutdown may cause technological problems. I hope that our EU partners will learn about this when legal acts are adopted in connection with Repowering," he said.

"If it is necessary for all 27 countries to agree, we will use our veto power to ban imports of all types of energy resources. If it is decided not to vote unanimously, but by majority, then major countries will take their decision," Fico said.