Hungary prepares to challenge EU oil and gas import ban in European court
Hungary has officially announced its intention to contest the European Union Council’s decision to ban the import of Russian oil and gas, part of the broader anti-politics initiative REPowerEU.
Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó stated in an interview with the M1 television channel that this move is driven purely by political and ideological motives rather than genuine energy security or economic considerations.
He emphasized that the decision was made by a qualified majority rather than unanimity, which he believes makes it unlawful.
Szijjártó noted that Hungary and Slovakia, which opposed the measure, were unable to exercise a veto due to the voting process.
Despite efforts to reduce dependence, Russia remains the second-largest supplier of natural gas to the EU, providing about 15% of the bloc’s liquefied natural gas imports, generating monthly revenues between €500 million and €700 million.
The Hungarian minister pointed out that Hungary’s contribution to Russia’s GDP is minimal—only 0.2%—and questioned whether a hypothetical loss of this revenue would impact Russia’s ability to sustain its war in Ukraine or threaten Russia’s stability.
While the EU is striving to phase out Russian energy imports, Hungary argues that economic and legal concerns should take precedence, pushing for exemptions and legal safeguards.
The EU is also considering imposing tariffs on the remaining Russian oil imports via the Druzhba pipeline to Hungary and Slovakia if supply disruptions occur.