The Czech government Wednesday refused to give its backing to a move by seven European states led by Slovakia to oppose new gas pipeline links from Russia under the Baltic. The proposal to join the joint approach to the European Commission was tabled before the government by Minister of Industry and Trade Jan Mládek. But the government did not agree to support the move against Nord Stream II. Slovakia is one of the most vocal opponents of the move to expand the existing under sea pipeline that circumvents gas transit routes through Ukraine. Slovakia stands to lose substantial fees if Russian gas exports through Ukraine and Slovakia and onto Western Europe are eventually halted. The letter to Brussels was backed by all the Baltic States, Hungary, Poland, Romania, and Slovakia.