Slovakia amends constitution to ban exports of drinking, mineral water in pipelines, tanks

The Slovak Parliament has voted to approve a constitutional amendment that bans exports of water from Slovakia.

Some opposition lawmakers joined the ruling leftist Smer-Social Democracy in a 102-5 vote on Tuesday to approve the move that bans exports of drinking and mineral water from Slovakia by means including pipelines and water tanks.

The ban does not cover water for personal use or water in bottles.

Slovakia has enough water resources but Prime Minister Rober Fico has called the ban a "sensible" step. Fico says it was necessary to impose it after attempts to build pipelines to transport water from Slovakia to neighboring Poland and Hungary.

Fico says the ban has been given a green light from the European Union