Dreary sanctions on Russian steel harm Slovak steelmakers
Fico’s government’s policy weakens our influence in the EU.
The author is Vice -President of the European Parliament for Progressive Slovakia
In recent weeks, Russian sanctions have become a sad demonstration of the confused European policy of Fico’s government and its coalition partners. This policy questioning our EU membership and NATO Thus not only harms, but directly liquidates the influence of Slovakia in the European Council.
And it is the advice that decides at European level on sanctions, not us in the European Parliament.
It is important to remember that the aim of sanctions is to weaken Putin’s regime that murders people on Ukraine In an effort to deprive it of independence and freedom. Their aim is also to prevent Putin and his helling to dare to attack one of the EU countries. Unfortunately, its threats are too little visible in Slovakia.
Quotas with holes
At the same time, we should fully realize what Ukraine prevents us from. For example, we could have heard about the Plan to resume Austria-Hungary. Therefore, for us, independence is from imports from Russia extremely important. He is a strategic gambling to be economically dependent on the regime that is openly threatened by the destruction.
The current sanctions are extensive, but unfortunately they contain several holes that help Putin and damage Slovakia. It is therefore in our common interest to pay them. The most striking case is iron import and steel sanctions. They contain leakage quotas, so imports are not completely prohibited.
Eurostat data is alarming. Only in the first quarter was the import of iron and steel from Russia to the EU increased by 28 percent year -on -year. In practice, this means 1.74 million tonnes of steel worth over € 700 million. These imports not only help to finance Russian aggression against Ukraine and armaments against EU countries, including Slovakia.
They also undermine the fair competition on the European market and directly threaten steelmakers, including the Slovaks in the US Steel Košice and their jobs.
Again just empty words?
Thus, if Prime Minister Fico is serious about the protection of Slovak economic interests, he must immediately publicly and negotiate with partners in the Council to promote a complete ban on iron and steel from Russia. Of course, with measures against circumvention through third countries. I wonder if he will try, or again will fall only empty words about peace, which only hides the justification of the murder of the innocent.
Unfortunately, his minimal impact in Europe, however, gives him almost no chance to enforce something. This is one of the reasons why we are trying to put pressure on the commission and advice with colleagues in the European Parliament to completely ban the import of Russian iron and steel.
