Bratislava – The ban on the production and sale of cars with combustion engines in the EU after 2035 is harmful for Slovakia. Prime Minister Robert Fico (Smer-SD) said this at a press conference on Monday, responding to the plan of the European Commission (EK), which, as part of climate protection, wants to ban the production and sale of vehicles with combustion engines after 2035, TASR reports.
“A huge number of Slovak companies, suppliers, subcontractors are linked to car production. The entire Slovak industry is marked by this significant concentration,” said Robert Ficoadding that this very ban by the EK could damage the Slovak economy.
He therefore welcomes the step by Germany, which is asking the EK to reconsider the ban on the production and sale of cars with combustion engines after 2035 and to approve, after this date, the production not only of electric cars but also of cars with highly efficient engines, that is, with dual drive.
“I cannot imagine what would happen to the Slovak economy if our automotive industry collapsed. Not to mention that the concentration is increasing, in a moment there will be the opening of car production near Košice, it is the Volvo car plant, and that there are other real plans by foreign carmakers on the table to build factories in Slovakia as regards the production of passenger cars,” Fico recalled.
The Minister of Foreign and European Affairs Juraj Blanár (Smer-SD) pointed out that Slovakia has drawn attention to this issue, while Germany has taken the same position, namely that it is not possible to take steps in the automotive industry that reduce competitiveness in the EU. Another topic that, according to him, needs to be discussed is emission allowances within the ETS2 system. Fico added that this system may increase pressure on the growth of energy, gas and fuel prices.
Originally, it was expected, according to him, that the prices of allowances would move at around seven to eight euros per tonne. However, the European Commission had to submit a proposal on how to limit prices in case they exceeded 45 euros per tonne.
“The European Commission has submitted this proposal, plus there is also a proposal to postpone this system by one year. This is a proposal that was basically approved, yet we all have great concerns whether this system will not mean a great burden for citizens, but we are now talking about 2028, since it was moved from 1 January 2027 to 2028,” added the Prime Minister. (1 December)
“I cannot imagine what would happen to the Slovak economy if our automotive industry collapsed.” Robert Fico
