Slovak leader Fico raps EU for inaction on fuel prices, demands summit

By Jan Lopatka

Sept 22 (Reuters) - The European Union is failing to tackle soaring fuel prices and should convene an emergency summit on the issue, Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico said on Tuesday, stepping up his criticism of the bloc of which Slovakia is a member.

Fico, a populist who has maintained warm ties with Russia, has increasingly attacked the EU and NATO over economic conditions and the West's approach to the war in Ukraine.

He said in a statement the EU was leaving member states "at the mercy of the horrible impacts of the oil crisis."

"The fact that we as member states are expected to compensate astronomical prices of fuels at the expense of pensions or healthcare is a display not just of the EU's incompetence, but above all the EU's cynicism," he said.

Fico said the EU had shown it could quickly convene emergency summits and commit hundreds of billions of euros to Ukraine, and argued the bloc should display the same urgency in addressing the cost-of-living concerns of its own citizens.

He said the Slovak government would prepare measures to keep prices under control and decide on them on Wednesday.

Fico has been highly critical of the EU's energy policies, criticising carbon reduction requirements that raise the cost of power.

Slovakia has at times held up approval of EU sanctions on Russia, and clashed with the EU over rule of law and media freedom, and refused to take part in a funding package for Kyiv.

Fico has also sought to revive economic cooperation with Moscow. He has met Russian leader Vladimir Putin several times since Russia's full invasion of Ukraine in 2022, and Slovakia continues to buy Russian gas.

Tuesday's comments build upon Fico's statement last week where he accused unnamed Western politicians within NATO of seeking war with Russia, saying he did not want Slovakia to be drawn into a conflict despite its commitments under NATO's mutual-defence clause, Article 5.

(Reporting by Jan Loaptka and Jason Hovet in Prague; Editing by Ros Russell)