V4 leaders vow to block EU climate taxes they say raise energy costs

During a conference in Bratislava, the Visegrád Group’s prime ministers, including Donald Tusk, declared they will pursue every legal avenue to halt EU climate initiatives they say are inflating energy bills across Central Europe. They succeeded in delaying the rollout of a carbon tax targeting road transport and buildings, and warned that any proposal that raises energy costs will be opposed. Tusk emphasized that soaring energy prices threaten both regional economies and the EU’s overall competitiveness.

Slovak premier Robert Fico echoed the commitment to seek cheaper energy through intensive lobbying beyond formal EU councils. In contrast, Romania is officially the EU country with the most expensive electricity, a situation linked to its rapid Green Deal implementation and coal-plant closures. The debate comes as the European Commission has begun easing ETS rules after pressure from countries like Poland, which also seeks a more differentiated financing approach for emissions reductions.