Slovakia takes EU to court over Russian gas import ban

Slovakia plans to file a complaint with the EU’s top court, the European Court of Justice (ECJ), contesting the bloc’s ban on imports of natural gas from Russia, Prime Minister Robert Fico announced in Bratislava on Tuesday.

The EU regulation violated the subsidiarity principle allowing all EU member states to decide on their own energy mix, Fico said, described the regulation as “a breach of the fundamental principles on which the European Union is built.”

The regulation, adopted on Monday by a majority of the EU’s 27 member states, requires imports of Russian gas to end by the end of 2027.

Its aim is to limit Russian income from gas exports as part of EU moves to pressure Russia over the ongoing war in Ukraine.

It goes into force at the beginning of February following publication in the bloc’s official journal.

Slovakia and Hungary voted against, and Bulgaria abstained, when the decision was passed on Monday, with 24 member states voting in favour.

Hungary has also indicated it will take legal action. Prime Minister Viktor Orbán said earlier that the move was in fact a sanction in formal terms, rather than a trade measure as represented by the European Commission.

In that case, unanimity would have been required, and Hungary and Slovakia could have vetoed it.

According to Economy Minister Denisa Saková, Slovakia cut its usage of Russian gas to 33% by December after previously sourcing almost all its gas from Russia. Landlocked Slovakia has no access to liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminals.

Slovakian industry and households are largely dependent on gas for energy.