Slovakia is preparing for a new energy reality following the approval of REPowerEU
REPowerEU has been definitively approved, marking the European Union’s entry into a new phase of energy policy. For the Slovak Republic, this means a fundamental change in gas imports starting in the fall of 2027. The Ministry of Economy of the Slovak Republic is therefore continuing intensive preparations to ensure secure energy supplies at affordable prices for both households and industry. In this context, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy of the Slovak Republic Denisa Saková met on Thursday, January 29, 2026, with Klaus-Dieter Borchardt, the European coordinator appointed for the Central and South-East European energy interconnectivity. The discussion focused on key challenges for both Slovakia and the European Union—strengthening European energy infrastructure, security of supply, and the need to significantly reduce energy prices, which currently have a negative impact on the competitiveness of European industry.
“REPowerEU represents a reality we did not want in Slovakia for the sake of our businesses and citizens. However, I appreciate the constructive cooperation with the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Energy over the past year and plan to continue it intensively in the coming period. Security of supply and energy affordability remain the cornerstones of our diversification plans. These are goals from which we do not wish to back down. Energy security cannot be an ideological issue, but a decision based on facts,” said Denisa Saková, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy of the Slovak Republic.
Both sides agreed that effective and systemic solutions cannot be adopted in isolation at the level of individual states. The European Union has a single energy market and common rules, and therefore requires coordinated European responses.
With regard to Slovakia, three key steps were agreed upon during the meeting:
- ensuring stable gas supplies for households and industry by completing strategic projects in Germany and Austria and strengthening capacities at terminals and on routes from Poland and Greece,
- a fairer distribution of energy network operating costs, including possible changes to European legislation on tariffs,
- utilizing Slovakia’s extensive gas infrastructure for the transport of gas, as well as future energy carriers such as hydrogen and biomethane, from west to east.
Minister D. Saková also presented a proposal to use the Connecting Europe Facility and TEN-E legislation to finance fossil fuel infrastructure during a transitional period. For countries without direct access to LNG terminals, this approach is essential. It will be equally important to strengthen security of supply in the oil import and storage sector.
The discussion also touched on the situation in Slovakia, which is self-sufficient in electricity production, has one of the cleanest energy mixes in Europe, and possesses a sufficient power grid and interconnections with neighboring countries—yet still faces above-average electricity prices. According to the Ministry of Economy of the Slovak Republic, it is essential in this area as well that European solutions better reflect the real impacts on citizens and the business environment.
The Press Department of MoE SR