Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico has called on the European Commission (EC) to freeze the EU Emissions Trading System (ETS) for four to five years. In a letter to EC President Ursula von der Leyen, Fico argued that ill-conceived climate goals are ruining industrial competitiveness by driving energy costs to extreme levels.

He pointed to the 2023 closure of Slovakia’s Slovalco aluminum plant, which once supplied 10% of the EU's primary aluminum, as a consequence of high electricity prices.

Fico said that while the EU provides more than EUR 380 billion in aid to Ukraine, it must prioritize its own economic survival. He warned that without a radical pause in emissions trading, European industrial competitiveness would face total destruction.