Slovakia to Sue EU over Banning Import of Russian Gas by 2027
The EU recently granted final approval to the REPowerEU regulation, which aims to phase out natural gas imports from Russia by November 2027. Fico stated at a press conference that Slovakia will “file a lawsuit against this regulation at the Court of Justice of the EU,” calling the ban the culmination of the bloc’s “energy suicide.”
“It is a solution that was adopted solely out of hatred towards the Russian Federation. I reject hatred as a trait that should determine international relations,” he added.
The regulation was passed by a qualified majority, bypassing the need for unanimous approval, a move Fico said contravened core EU treaties. Slovakia and Hungary plan to file separate lawsuits while coordinating their legal positions.
Hungarian officials criticized the vote as a deliberate attempt to circumvent opposition from member states whose national energy interests are affected. Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto wrote on X that the REPowerEU plan relied on “a legal trick, presenting a sanctions measure as a trade policy decision in order to avoid unanimity… The [EU] Treaties are clear: decisions on the energy mix are a national competence.”
Both Hungary and Slovakia, heavily reliant on Russian energy, had previously warned that they would consider legal action if the EU proceeded with the REPowerEU plan.
Moscow has also weighed in, with Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova warning that the EU risks surrendering its independence by banning Russian gas. “They did give up their freedom anyway,” she said, adding that time will reveal whether EU member nations will be “happy vassals or miserable slaves.”
Legal Disclaimer:
MENAFN provides the
information “as is” without warranty of any kind. We do not accept
any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images,
videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information
contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright
issues related to this article, kindly contact the provider above.
Legal Disclaimer:
EIN Presswire provides this news content "as is" without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the author above.
