UPDATE 1-Slovakia likely to support new EU sanctions package against Russia, PM Fico says

(Adds details) Oct 22 (Reuters) – Slovakia, a holdout against supporting the European Union's 19th sanctions package against Russia, says it will back the measures if its demands are met during a summit of the bloc's leaders this week, Prime Minister Robert Fico said on Wednesday. EU leaders meet on Thursday and will discuss the war in Ukraine and European defence. Slovakia has resisted signing off on the bloc's 19th package of sanctions against Russia over its invasion of Ukraine and has demanded proposals to address the negative impacts of climate targets on carmakers and ways to tackle high electricity prices in the bloc. Fico, speaking to a parliamentary committee on Wednesday, said he would meet German Chancellor Friedrich Merz before the summit to talk energy and the car sector. "So if we see the conclusions that we pushed through, I will go over it again this evening, and I will probably tell Chancellor Merz that we agree with the 19th package," Fico said. Fico said some demands had already made it into the summit's conclusions. Slovakia had delayed a previous sanctions package due to demands connected to a separate EU plan to phase out Russian energy imports, which needs majority approval, unlike sanctions that need unanimity among EU members. The 19th sanctions package includes an array of energy and financial measures. Slovakia set out its conditions to support the package a month ago. Fico has been a critic of sanctions, saying they hurt Europe more than Russia. He has broken ranks with European allies over his pro-Moscow stance and has met Russian President Vladimir Putin three times since last year. Slovakia remains a buyer of Russian energy imports and says alternatives will be a financial blow. Slovakia's economy relies heavily on the car sector and the country has joined others in criticising EU plans to ban the combustion engine in the next decade. Slovakia has also criticised high electricity prices for hurting competitiveness of EU firms versus the United States or China. (Reporting by Jason Hovet in Prague, editing by Jan Lopatka and Sharon Singleton)

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