Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico has called the European Commission hypocritical for removing Russian sable fur from its sanctions list, saying the bloc’s approach to restricting trade with Russia is riddled with double standards.
Writing on Facebook, Fico said hypocrisy in the European Commission was blossoming like a cherry tree in May, because luxury fur workshops in Europe had no other way to obtain the valuable material for coats that can cost up to 100,000 euros.
Fico said the EU simultaneously bans imports of Russian goods needed by both industry and ordinary citizens, while alternatives are not always available. Such measures, he argued, sometimes cost the EU more than they cost Russia.
The Slovak premier said the selective approach was a clear example of double standards. Earlier, according to Euractiv, Italy and Greece had requested the sable fur exemption. The European Commission justified the decision by saying Russia holds a dominant position in the global sable fur market and no alternative suppliers could be found.
